Graduate honoured for tackling accessibility barriers in Cardiff’s music scene

A graduate from a Welsh university has been recognised by a Grammy-nominated Welsh producer for his work helping to improve accessibility for disabled artists and performers in Cardiff.

Finley Allen (known as Fin), who graduated this summer in Music Producing with first class honours from University of South Wales, decided to assess just how accessible music venues in Cardiff are for live performance artists, after his own experience facing barriers.

The 22-year-old, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, surveyed 15 different venues and discovered that while the majority have measures in place for audience members with a disability to attend gigs, it’s a very different story for performers.

Music scene

“Cardiff is such a vibrant and diverse city, with an amazing music scene, but there’s a lot more that can be done to make it a truly inclusive place for everyone to enjoy gigs,” said Fin, who is originally from Plymouth and now lives in Cardiff.

“My hope is that, with more time and resources, I can speak to other people with disabilities who might be facing similar challenges. I know of so many who have been put off going to gigs because of accessibility issues, and that needs to change.”

Thanks to his inspiring project, Fin has won the Romesh Dodangoda Graduate Award for Excellence, after making a profound impression on the rock-based producer, engineer and mixer.

A USW graduate himself, Romesh has worked in the industry for over two decades, producing for Bring Me The Horizon, Motörhead, Funeral for a Friend, Nova Twins, and Twin Atlantic. He regularly delivers masterclasses to USW students, helping to nurture the next generation of music producers.

“Fin’s work is absolutely fantastic – what he has done will not only bring about positive change for himself, but is important for so many people in society,” said Romesh.

“It was a privilege to hear Fin’s story, and I wish him the very best for his future career.”

‘Honoured’ 

Fin added: “I feel honoured to have been recognised in this way for my work, which highlights that we are not yet where we need to be in terms of people with disabilities being able to get into venues and perform.

“Music is my vehicle of communication. It has got me out of some difficult places, so I see it as a voice in itself. It’s so important that more people like me are visible in the industry, so that I can show others what is possible.”

David Coker, course leader for the BA in Music Producing at USW, commented: “The journey that Fin has been on as a producer and composer is nothing short of inspirational.

“In his quest to find performance spaces suitable for wheelchair users, he has started an important conversation around how accessible venues actually are – something that I don’t believe has been done before, to this extent.

“He has made an impact on the Cardiff music scene in terms of community and inclusivity, and that’s very powerful. If you don’t feel welcome as a wheelchair user in the audience of a gig, then you won’t want to go to that venue, or even other gigs in the future, and it’s the same for performers. By seeing a change, we will benefit from greater diversity among performers and audiences.”