A music charity is encouraging small venues to make their shows more accessible while showcasing what artists with disabilities can do.

Charity Attitude is Everything is bringing Winter of 82’s The Gloves Are On tour to the Half Moon in Putney on January 31 as part of its campaign during Independent Venue Week.

Disabled artist Winter of 82, aka Kris Halpin, uses ground breaking technological gloves developed with the help of Imogen Heap to create his sound.

The four-date tour - which also includes shows in Bristol, Guildford and Coventry – will be the first time he has taken them on the road.

He said: “I’m incredibly excited to bring this amazing technology with me on my first UK tour. My condition has threatened to rob me of my musicianship and performing live has been increasingly difficult - however, I knew when Drake Music introduced me to Imogen Heap and the team at Mi.Mu that the gloves could give it me back. 

“In reality, they bring so much more. They are an incredible instrument that allow complex arrangements to be performed in a natural, expressive way and for the first time ever, I will be performing a live show that will bring my vision from the studio to the stage.

“As someone who has access needs, I passionately believe in the work that Attitude Is Everything are doing to make live music more accessible to disabled people. Independent Venue Week is also something I see as hugely important - it supports the most interesting and unique venues this country has to offer.”

Attitude is Everything hopes the tour will raise awareness among small venue about how they can attract greater numbers of disabled fans and artists through their doors, with millions of disabled fans encountering barriers to experiencing live music from booking tickets to a lack of facilities and staff training at shows.

The charity’s chief executive Suzanne Bull MBE said: “Everybody understands the importance of small venues to British music. They’ve been at the heart of every groundbreaking music scene and musical innovation produced in this country. 

“For those reasons, it is hugely important that disabled fans and artists are not excluded from their local music scenes, and we want Kris’ tour to raise awareness of how access barriers can be removed.

"The simplest way for venues to start this process is to join our Access Starts Online campaign and ensure they are providing accurate access information on their website.”

Go to winterof82.com for tickets or attitudeiseverything.org.uk for information about the charity and its campaign.