On a pleasant Saturday night in June in the heart of Toronto, advocates, supporters, and creative individuals influencing the disability community gathered to commemorate accessibility and inclusion in a tangible manner.
AccessFest, a complimentary festival honoring accessibility, provided a unique opportunity for a blind concert enthusiast to witness artists with disabilities showcased on a prominent stage. The 2026 lineup showcased headliners X Ambassadors and ASL performer Julian Ortiz, alongside Haviah Mighty and Renforshort.
X Ambassadors, consisting of brothers Casey and Sam Harris with bandmate Adam Levin, emphasized the significant impact of using music to raise awareness about accessibility and inclusion. Casey expressed his personal connection to the cause, stating, “Me being visually impaired, access and various things to do with giving those with visual or other disabilities the same opportunities as everyone else is near and dear to my heart. I think it really is important that every human being be given access and options to live their life as fully as possible.”
AccessFest, established by Maayan Ziv, an entrepreneur and disability advocate who is a wheelchair user, aims to promote accessible design in physical spaces through her company, Access Now. The event is a single-day free festival welcoming individuals of all ages with visible and invisible disabilities, as well as allies. The festival’s program includes accessibility panels, interactive workshops, and performances, including a session led by deaf performer Julian Ortiz on incorporating American Sign Language in a live music setting to visually interpret sound.
Every aspect of the programming was designed with accessibility in mind to ensure full participation of attendees, panelists, and performers. The festival’s open layout allowed easy navigation for individuals using mobility aids such as wheelchairs, canes, and guide dogs. ASL interpreters were provided for deaf performers and attendees, reflecting the festival’s commitment to fostering meaningful connections. Additionally, audio guides and listening devices were available to offer visual descriptions of live performances to blind or visually impaired audiences.
A primary objective of the main stage was to provide a platform for artists to share their narratives and perform in an inclusive manner. Maayan Ziv emphasized, “We are dedicated to making accessible experiences for our audiences. We are also dedicated to making accessible experiences for talent, and to highlighting disabled artists that are not often given the opportunity due to accessible barriers or a lack of representation to show up and be who they are fully.”
Creating a space where artists and audiences with diverse access needs are included is crucial for enhancing inclusivity in live music experiences. Implementing features like elevators or ramps in venues enables both disabled audiences and artists to navigate spaces effortlessly. Understanding that individuals with disabilities may have varying access requirements, such as the need for visual descriptions or quiet spaces, is essential to cater to diverse audiences and performers.
Artists like Renforshort, who performed at AccessFest and supports the disability community, stress the importance of advocating for inclusive changes in the music industry. Renforshort believes that artists should champion equal opportunities for disabled audiences to engage with live music without obstacles, asserting, “If you believe that music is the universal language and it is for everybody, then you should be loud about it.”
By prioritizing accessibility from the outset, events like AccessFest demonstrate how communities can unite to enjoy live music in an inclusive setting, fostering a vision for future festivals to follow suit.
“I would love to see this be what a festival is,” shared Renforshort.