Green Man Festival has been awarded Gold Charter by charity ‘Attitude is Everything’, for improving access to music for those with extra learning needs and disabilities. The charity focuses on connecting disabled people with music and live event industries to improve access together.
After previously being awarded a Silver charter, Green Man’s continued dedication to improving accessibility has been recognised as it is now a Gold charter event.
It is the first Welsh music festival to achieve Gold status. With a dedicated campsite close to the main arena, with dedicated showers, toilets, and a 24-hour covered charging point for power chair batteries, Green Man hopes to ensure that live music in the heart of Wales is accessible for all those who want to enjoy it. Green Man has implemented initiatives such as:
- Erecting a new respite tent, for those who need a quiet space during the festival
- 2023 is the first year there will be a British Sign Language (BSL) provision for the Mountain stage headliners (the top three acts every day) as well as for Ceri Ann Arian’s performance
- There is BSL provision and captioning of Green Man’s live streamed Rising Stage final
- There will be audio description of performing arts Ramshacklicious and Hijinx on the Saturday of the festival
- Hearing loops have been fitted in the Babbling Tongues and Cinedrome areas
- All performances across the Green Man site are ‘relaxed performances’ to help those with sensory needs
- Green Man has employed a dedicated access officer.
Fiona Stewart, Managing Director and owner of the Green Man festival, said of the Gold Charter award: “Green Man is a celebration of inclusivity and making it accessible and welcoming to everyone who wants to attend is something all of our team are invested in.
“Our motivation for creating Green Man is the joy people get out of the experience, and if we can do this in the Black Mountains and fields of the Bannau Brecheiog National Park then I hope this will encourage others across the country.”
Now in its 21st year, Green Man Festival is an award-winning, independent music, arts, comedy and science festival held in the breathtaking surroundings of the Bannau Brycheiniog.
Uniquely, Green Man refuses sponsorship so that independent Welsh food & beverage producers can be offered and curational freedom retained. The festival is comprised of ten unique areas – from comedy, literature to wellness, theatre and contemporary dance, and is the only large UK festival where a woman has majority ownership. Green Man Festival is a melting pot of Welsh, national and international artistic talent and a creator of opportunities.
The Green Man Trust charity extends the festival’s artistic, educational, and cultural ambitions by cultivating creative development, showcase and training opportunities within the arts, sciences and local communities.
Over the last three years, 10,000+ people have been supported by Green Man Trust, £16,000 donated to Welsh food banks in 2022 in response to cost of living crisis, £3,000 donated for Ukrainian war relief, £10,000 awarded in local Community Grants, £16,000 has been raised for Welsh vulnerable people affected by storm Dennis flood, £100,000 was spent to commission 223 artists during the pandemic and over 100 community projects have been supported.
- For further details on Green Man festival visit www.greenman.net/
- This years festival held from August 17 to 20 is now sold out.