Unlocking the Power of Accessibility: How Brazil's Festivals are Embracing Inclusivity

Tens of thousands of Brazilians gathered at Rio de Janeiro's mega-festival Rock in Rio on Friday (Sept. 20), with many staking out spots of artificial grass all day to hear the headliner, Katy Perry. As her music keyed up, the enormous screens around the stage showed someone else in their bottom corners — a sign language interpreter.

Empowering the Deaf Community Through Music and Festivals

Bringing Sign Language to the Forefront

Rock in Rio, one of Latin America's biggest festivals, has made a groundbreaking move by featuring sign language interpreters on its big screens for the first time in its 40-year history. This innovative approach ensures that deaf people across the thronging crowd can fully engage with the performances, breaking down barriers and fostering a more inclusive experience.Inside a container backstage, interpreters sign in front of a green screen, with their images appearing above the stage. This strategic placement allows the deaf audience members to follow the music and lyrics with ease, immersing themselves in the energy and emotion of the performances. The interpreters don't just translate the words; they dance to the rhythm, pull expressive faces, and use their entire bodies to convey the essence of the music, captivating both the deaf and hearing attendees alike.

Empowering the Deaf Community

The sudden ubiquity of sign language interpreters at festivals and concerts across Brazil in recent years is a direct result of the country's ambitious 2015 inclusion law. This landmark legislation sought to put Brazil at the global forefront of accessibility, ensuring that people with disabilities have the right to access cultural events and that organizers provide the necessary means to do so.The impact of this law has been profound, with interpreters gaining widespread recognition and even developing their own social media followings due to their flair and flashy dress. Demand for their services has surged, leading some to start working before even completing their education, as the nationwide federation of sign language interpreters' associations has observed.

Bridging the Gap for the Deaf Community

Brazil is home to 2.3 million people who are partially or completely deaf, according to the national statistics institute. However, fewer than two-thirds of those who are completely deaf know how to use Brazilian sign language, and the numbers are even lower among those with some hearing. This is due to factors such as the preference for cochlear implants, the reliance on lip-reading, or the onset of deafness later in life.While subtitles could be more effective in transmitting lyrics, especially for those who are not fluent in sign language, the interpreters at Rock in Rio and other festivals offer a more comprehensive experience. They convey not just the words, but the entire musical context, using their expressions, body language, and even dancing to capture the energy and emotion of the songs, be it euphoria, rage, mystery, or sensuality.

Putting Deaf Attendees at the Forefront

Rock in Rio is already one of the most accessible festivals for deaf people in the world, according to Thiago Amaral, the diversity coordinator. The festival organizers are continuously working to innovate and improve the experience, with plans for future editions to include vibrating platforms or products similar to the vibrating vests they tested last year. This year also marked the first time Rock in Rio offered audio description earpieces for those with limited vision.The impact of these accessibility efforts is evident in the experiences of attendees like Henrique Miranda Martins, a 24-year-old who has been surrounded by music his whole life, especially samba, thanks to his musical family. However, due to his limited hearing, he could never fully connect or participate in the music he loved. That changed when he attended his first concert with sign language interpreters, Coldplay, which became his new favorite band. Martins then went on to experience the Lollapalooza festival in São Paulo and, most recently, the Rock in Rio festival, where he was able to fully immerse himself in the music and performances, dancing and signing along with the interpreter.The festival's camera scanning the crowd captured Martins vibing and locked in, showcasing him on the big screen for everyone to see, smiling wide with his head thrown back and shaking both hands in the air — the sign for applause. This moment epitomizes the power of accessibility and the transformative impact it can have on the lives of those who have been excluded from the music and cultural experiences that many take for granted.