22-25 April 2026 
A new industry white paper has highlighted a significant gap between what venues and organisers believe they are doing for accessibility and what delegates actually experience when they attend events.
The report, Access All Areas: Closing the Accessibility Gap in Events, surveyed more than 1,000 event attendees and found that nearly one in three identifies as having a visible or non-visible disability. Yet despite years of progress in physical accessibility, 93% reported encountering barriers when attending events.
Many venues point to accessible toilets, ramps and disability policies as evidence of progress. Delegates, however, told a different story.
They described overcrowded environments, poor communication, sensory overload, unclear signage, long queues and anxiety caused by not knowing what to expect before arriving. For many attendees, particularly those who are neurodivergent or have hidden disabilities, accessibility isn’t just about whether they can physically enter a building. It’s about whether they can comfortably participate once they’re there.
One attendee quoted in the report summed it up perfectly: “Please send everything in advance. I get anxious when I don’t know what to expect.” Another described quiet spaces as being “essential, not a luxury”.
It’s a message that resonates strongly with us, and we’re rightfully proud that SQLBits has been included in the report as a case study of good practice, alongside organisations such as Glastonbury Festival, NatWest and our regular hosts ICC Wales.
What makes this recognition particularly meaningful is that it reflects something we’ve recognised for a long time; whilst accessible venues, step-free access and suitable facilities matter, true inclusivity means thinking about the experience of every attendee from the moment they register until the moment they head home. That’s why many of the positive initiatives highlighted in the report have been part of SQLBits for years.
- At SQLBits, delegates who don’t feel comfortable sitting in a packed session room can watch sessions live from a relaxed space in the expo hall, complete with beanbags and headphones.
- Our quiet room provides a non-sensory space where attendees can get away from the noise and activity of the conference when they need to decompress.
- Our Bits Buddies volunteers help attendees navigate the event, make connections and ensure nobody has to feel alone if they don’t want to.
- We provide an on-site counsellor for delegates who may be dealing with challenges at work or in their personal lives and need someone to talk to.
- We offer free childcare to help remove barriers for parents who would otherwise struggle to attend.
- Our Community Day creates a free route into SQLBits for those who cannot justify the cost of a conference ticket, or get time off work mid-week.
- We use pronoun stickers to help create a welcoming environment where people can represent themselves in the way they choose.
- We invest in helping attendees know what to expect before they arrive through detailed communications, guides and information designed to remove uncertainty and reduce anxiety.
- Our catering approach is specifically designed to reduce queues and unnecessary stress, while dietary requirements are captured in advance as part of registration.
These aren’t initiatives we’ve added since accessibility became fashionable; these are things we’ve learned over years of engaging with and deeply understanding the needs of our community. The white paper calls on the events industry to move beyond viewing accessibility as compliance and instead treat it as part of event design from the very beginning, and we couldn’t agree more. We have maintained for many years that by cultivating an environment suited to the atypical, everyone benefits.
We’re delighted to see SQLBits recognised as an example of what’s possible when accessibility is treated as a core part of the attendee experience, and we’re committed to continuing to learn, improve and raise the bar for the entire industry.