As a deaf individual who absolutely loves the UK arts scene, my enjoyment has often been overshadowed by the challenges I face due to scheduled-only captioning in various venues. At present, many of us who are deaf or hard-of-hearing must wait for these 'special' captioned performances which are often few and far between and not convenient for our schedules. This lack of accessibility means that I and millions like me cannot spontaneously enjoy arts events as hearing individuals do.

In the UK, more than 18 million citizens are Deaf and they deserve equal access to the arts. Current practices force us to be mere spectators of our own lives, subjected to a schedule that often doesn't align with our personal needs or whims. While others enjoy the spontaneity of arts and culture, we are left planning our lives around rare times when venues decide to offer accessible content.

It's high time we moved beyond this inequality. Venues need to implement integrated captioning for every performance, so no one feels left out. Technology today makes it easier than ever to provide live captioning. In fact, many organisations have already started utilising mobile apps for real-time captions, benefiting all attendees and promoting inclusivity within local cultural scenes.

Without it, it's a breach of the Equality Act 2010. We call on the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and all UK venue owners to enforce the 'Anticipatory Duty' of the Equality Act and make reasonable adjustments mandatory. We demand that every cinema, theatre, and live venue invest in Universal Access Tools (such as personal captioning apps and devices).

Furthermore, providing universal captioning increases attendance and audience satisfaction, as shown by a survey by Action on Hearing Loss, which found that 83% of people would be more likely to attend arts events if they knew accessibility accommodations were universally available.

We urge venues across the UK to embrace inclusive practices and make universal captioning a standard for all performances. Accessibility should not be a special accommodation but the norm in an inclusive society.

My Goal is to ensure that any Deaf person can walk into any venue, on any day, and have full access to the performance on their own terms. Access is a right, not a scheduled event. Please sign this petition to end 'scheduled-only' captioning once and for all, and ensure that all individuals enjoy the full richness of the UK arts at their convenience.

The campaign is specifically calling for:

-A commitment to a 100% on-demand roadmap by 2027. This is universal access where captioning is available for every screening and performance. This is by amending the current Equality Act 2010 "reasonable adjustment" to mandatory on-demand standard for communication via technology. 
- Investment in innovative technology: in personal access technology to empower patrons to attend on their own terms such as smart captioning glasses, apps and captiview devices over static pre-programmed slots. 
- Venues to lead the industry by making accessibility a core part of your infrastructure rather than an afterthought. The 274 billion purple pound highlights the spending power of disabled people and their families which remains largely untapped due to restrictive scheduling.