Abstract

Live music events offer cultural, social, and emotional experiences; however, for many people with disabilities (PWDs), participation is shaped by barriers, informational uncertainty, and the anticipatory labour associated with assessing accessibility. This study explores how digital storytelling (DST) shapes experiences of live music attendance for PWDs, focusing on how peer-generated narratives influence participation decision-making, perceptions of accessibility, and community formation. Using a qualitative interpretivist approach, the study draws on online semi-structured interviews with thirteen live music attendees who identified as disabled, d/Deaf, and/or neurodivergent, alongside non-disabled personal support and carers. The findings indicate that DST functions as a personal archive, a community-building practice, and a form of accessibility intelligence that reduces uncertainty while supporting participation. Participants described barriers relating to stigma, emotional labour, online hostility, and self-disclosure. The study positions DST as a relational accessibility practice through which experiential knowledge is produced, circulated, and interpreted within live music communities.