Besides the known struggles, such as not having ramps for wheelchairs, or even not being able to travel by train, due to the lack of elevators, attending a cultural event can also be a stressful or impossible situation in Portugal.

One of The Portugal News readers has highlighted some of these difficulties, as a disabled person, when attending a Harry Styles concert that took place in the Altice Arena in Lisbon, in July.

The reader, who did not want to share her name, wanted to go to the show with her 12 years old daughter, who is a big fan of Harry Styles. Not knowing how a disabled person could attend a show, the reader contacted Ticketline, which mentioned all the matters that should be dealt with by the promoter of the shows, in this case, Everything Is New.

Usually, the promoter shares the information regarding the tickets. However, Everything Is New does not mention any extra information regarding tickets for disabled people. Despite having information about VIP tickets, people only know the price and that there is a single section for disabled people, not mentioning the exact number of places.

Our reader contacted the promoter, asking if it was possible to attend the show with her daughter and a friend. In the beginning, the answer was positive, and a Certificado Multiusos, a document that confirms the disability of a person, was asked for and soon sent to the promoter. In the meantime, the reader bought three tickets for the standing venue, as they were the only ones that could be bought online. The reader “thought it was best to have tickets”, making it easier for a possible revalidation of the tickets. Nevertheless, Everything Is New did not share any further information.

The Portugal News reader already had three tickets, not knowing if they could all attend the show in a specific area. After not having any answers, the reader sent a complaint through the digital Complaints Book, and after 15 working days, there were no answers. She went further and communicated the issue to the General Inspectorate of Cultural Activities, and an answer to the entity was sent by the promoter.

Everything Is News mentioned that there was no complaint registered, as the person asked for three tickets, leaving our reader “in limbo”, not answering her questions.

From August to December, the reader tried to contact the company, without success. She even said that it was not a problem to attend the show only with her daughter, besides thinking it is “an outdated attitude.”

Opportunity to live a regular life

The reader mentioned that the rule of being allowed to take only one guest to the disabled venue is outdated and “excludes the disabled from living a full life.” The rule implies that the disabled person may not go to a show with a group of friends or even family, therefore some experiences may not be lived due to the lack of conditions offered to disabled people, in Portugal.

The Portugal News tried to contact the promoter Everything Is News, but had no answers by the time of the story's publishing.

Author

Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos