NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION ACCESSIBLE FESTIVALS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHES DAN GROVER MEMORIAL TICKET GRANT PROGRAM TO BRING LIVE MUSIC TO ALL
PARTNERS INCLUDE BOTTLEROCK NAPA VALLEY, ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL, LOLLAPALOOZA, ROLLING LOUD NY, STAGECOACH & MORE TO PROVIDE FREE ADMISSION TO MUSIC FANS WITH DISABILITIES
Today, non-profit organization Accessible Festivals officially launches its Dan Grover Memorial TicketGrant Program that provides a limited number of free access tickets to recreational experiences like concerts, festivals, and conventions for disabled music fans and their loved ones, marking a huge step forward towards accessibility for all throughout major events across the U.S. Accessible Festivals is partnering with the largest festivals in the country, such as Austin City Limits Music Festival, BottleRock Napa Valley, Electric Daisy Carnival, Lolla
Today’s announcement is just the latest work from the organization, with much more to come. Several leading publications throughout the music industry have taken notice of Accessible Festivals’ meaningful work. Billboard included its founder on their 2021 Billboard Change Agents list, and Forbes featured the organization for their work with the first-ever sensory-friendly music festival, Inclusion Festival.
The idea for Accessible Festivals’ Dan Grover Memorial Ticket Grant Program was born out of the organization’s founder, Austin Whitney’s, own personal experience. In 2007, Whitney was injured in a car accident that severed his spinal cord and paralyzed him from the waist down. He was consumed with depression and anxiety about his new life living with a disability. Eight months later, he attended Coachella, his first music festival. For the first time since his spinal cord injury, he was able to smile and simply enjoy life. Music festivals like this one got him through the most difficult challenge of his life. With the realization of the importance of festival accessibility, he decided to devote his life to ensuring people of all abilities can have an equal opportunity to experience live music and recreational activities to the fullest extent possible.
The program also aims to keep the legacy of Dan Grover alive, who turned his passion of music into a profession by becoming one of the first Accessibility Consultants in the live music industry. He led ADA Compliance operations on many of the nation’s largest shows including Electric Forest, Lockn’, Life is Beautiful, Outside Lands, and many more. Grover assisted thousands of disabled guests in enjoying music and was a fierce advocate for greater inclusion and accessibility.
Individuals impacted by newly acquired, temporary, or lifelong disabilities are encouraged to apply for free access to their favorite events. So far this year, Accessible Festivals has distributed complimentary admission this year to some of the nation’s largest festivals including Bottlerock Napa Valley Electric Daisy Carnival, Lollapalooza, Rollin
All the festivals participating in the program have made a commitment to all their disabled fans and have well-established ADA Compliance programs. With many friends and partners in the industry, Accessible Festivals plans to add many more festivals and other recreational events to their list. With support from live music tastemaker Live for Live Music, Accessible Festivals aims to expand live event access for all across the U.S. for years to come.
To donate, learn more about or apply for Accessible Festivals’ Dan Grover Memorial Ticket Grant Program, visit accessiblefestivals.org/
Photo credit: Kimy Churchhill – HARD Summer
ABOUT ACCESSIBLE FESTIVALS
Accessible Festivals is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to making music and recreation accessible to all abilities. The organization believes live music can have a profoundly positive effect on individuals and should be inclusive to all. Founded by Austin Whitney in 2014, the organization achieves this goal by providing outreach to the disabled community, training to industry professionals and produces an annual Inclusion Festival.
ABOUT DAN GROVER
Dan Grover was born on December 6, 1962, in rural New Jersey. At an early age, he was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy, a genetic condition that deteriorates muscular strength over time, and began using a wheelchair for mobility at the age of 21. The first show Dan attended was Yes in Philadelphia in 1979 where he was piggy backed into the venue due to a lack of accessibility at the time. Throughout the next forty years Dan attended over 400 shows, including over 50 Grateful Dead concerts. With a wheelchair, Dan had to find creative ways to see the show. It was this lived experience, and his love for the music, that turned him into one of the first Accessibility Consultants in the live music industry. It was also the origin of his company See the Show.
Dan was responsible for implementing and improving ADA operations at some of the nation’s largest music festivals including Electric Forest, Outside Lands, Life is Beautiful, and many more. Over the years, he helped ensure thousands of disabled guests were able to see the show safely and comfortably and was a fierce advocate for greater inclusion and accessibility for all. The result of his work was thousands of guests with disabilities having unforgettable experiences that would not otherwise have happened. He cared about nothing more than the people around him and doing whatever he could to put a smile on someone else’s face.
Sadly, Dan passed away on July 27, 2022. Everyone who knew Dan will remember his passion for helping people with disabilities and his huge smile. This program is intended to keep Dan’s legacy alive and honor him by sharing his passion for music and continuing to help other people with disabilities see the show.
Photo Credit: Andy Abeyta
ABOUT FOUNDER AUSTIN WHITNEY
Austin Whitney is the Founder and Chairman of Accessible Festivals and Founder and President of Ten Fifty Entertainment. Austin has been a wheelchair user for the last fifteen years and holds a Juris Doctorate from UC Berkeley School of Law . He currently is the ADA Compliance Director for Coachella Music and Arts Festival, Stagecoach, the PGA Championship, and Star Wars Celebration. In the last ten years he has been the ADA Compliance Director for over one hundred and fifty events and is frequently a speaker on inclusion and accessibility.
###
For more information on Accessible Festivals, please visit:
