The Hearing Wellness Festival took over a Hackney church on 6 March to promote audio inclusivity in the borough and all across London.
The event aims for the community to be able to engage in live music and social experiences without the intrusion of noise whilst taking care of their hearing health.
It boasted amazing acoustic acts, interactive talks from a Nobel Prize winner and members of the five grassroots music venues that the funding also plans to upgrade.
Founder Marion Marincat said: “This festival sets a vital example of how communities can come together to address the often-overlooked issue of noise pollution and its impact on hearing health.”
Marion himself went profoundly deaf at 26, so is his using his personal experience to address the inadequacy of some venues across the capital.
A shocking 30% of the UK population are noise sensitive, including those who are hard of hearing, neurodivergent, over 50, or living with conditions such as misophonia.
Hackney aims to set a new standard as the first audio-inclusive borough in the UK, and improve London’s place as Europe’s second noisiest city, data from Preply shows.
Hackney Mayor Caroline Woodley said: “I had no idea that we were failing people with hearing impairment.
“I look forward to seeing the success of this festival go on and on and on.”
Watch to view more on the festival’s impact and hear from Marincat and Woodley.
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