History
In 1999 the KVG (Catholic Organisation of Disabled People) came up with the plan to make music festivals accessible. The idea was born from the concerns of a number of disabled people who had experienced practical difficulties on a planned festival visit and had contacted the KVG for solutions.
KVG started looking for a ‘test festival’ and stumbled upon ‘the Folk Festival of Dranouter’. This festival had a good reputation and seemed the ideal opportunity to try out a few things with regard to accessibility. Moreover the festival already provided disabled people with ADL assistants, who helped disabled people in their activities of daily living.
These try-outs were very successful and two years later (2001) new co operations were agreed upon with festivals such as Rock Werchter, Cactus and Pukkelpop.
After three years of successful experimenting, KVG discussed the possibility of expanding the project with the Ministry of Equal Opportunities. In addition A steering group composed of different policy partners, the cultural sector and organisations concerned with the issue of ‘disability’ was set up. The application for project funding of this steering group was approved by Equal Opportunities in Flanders which enabled us to further expand the project. Together with the recognition by Equal Opportunities, the project was also given its name ‘Intro’.
From 2006 onwards, encouraged by the Flemish minister of Equal Opportunities Kathleen Van Brempt, Intro also started to focus on the accessibility of sporting events: football tournaments, cyclo-cross races, cycling races, … are now made accessible in cooperation with intro.
In the same year the project Sun Sea Carefree, which draws attention to the accessibility of beaches and their direct surroundings, was launched. In 2007 expositions at cultural centres and indoor events were put on the agenda. Also in 2007, the ‘festivals for everyone’ project was born in cooperation with the National Lottery. It was also decided to initiate a round table which would focus on accessible football.
2008 became the year where Intro was given structural funding by Equal Opportunities in Flanders.