Ruth Lyon

She/Her
Musician, Performer and Composer

Award category:

Performing Arts, Television, Radio

I am a singer, multi-instrumentalist, activist and composer based in Newcastle Upon Tyne. I grew up in North Yorkshire, before studying Fashion at Northumbria University. Meanwhile, I began fronting folk-rock band Holy Moly & The Crackers, touring UK/Europe extensively. I was invited to become Artist in Residence as a solo artist at The Glasshouse in 2020 and have worked with world-renowned producer John Parish ever since. I am ambassador for The Featured Artist Coalition, Attitude Is Everything and RAMPD(US). I performed and spoke on a panel at SXSW, Texas with fellow disabled artists Eliza Hull and Lachi, from Australia and USA respectively. There I heard reinvigorating perspectives on community, inclusion, disability-culture and accessibility. Eliza and I then toured the UK promoting accessible venues through performance and Q&A sessions; running workshops for young disabled artists. As a member of the Newcastle music scene for over a decade, I mentor emerging talent whilst consulting on improving accessibility in regional music venues and organisations. I regularly speak on music industry panels, was part of a parliamentary APPG on inclusivity in the arts, I’ve performed and spoken in the House Of Lords as one of the Board of Directors at The Glasshouse, gave a guest lecture at Kings College London and have written articles for the Guardian, Independent, NME and been featured on the BBC World Service. I have received recent accolades from PRS Women Make Music, had airplay and interviews on BBC Radio 1, 6Music, as well as performances at Glastonbury, Great Escape and Latitude festivals. My music has been used frequently on radio, TV, theatre, film and most notably in the BBC drama ‘Then Barbara Met Alan’. The BBC invited me to record a live session at Abbey Road studios with recordings being used in a compilation album for Children In Need. Music gives me my power – it’s such an integral part of our cultural fabric and young artists need to look at a stage and believe that could be them. Our voices must be lifted, celebrated and promoted on the biggest platforms we have, as greater representation will create lasting change.

I am incredibly humbled to be included on this list and it’s a huge encouragement to keep on trying to pave a way for young disabled artists emerging now. I would like to see more disabled talent in the media celebrating our diversity and our unique stories for young aspiring creatives to have as role models. Disability is the world’s largest diversity group, yet disabled artists are vastly underrepresented in the music industry. Creating pathways and opportunities for disabled artists to become more visible, fitting ramps at the Brit awards or Mercury Prize would all help to dispel the wider stigma surrounding disability and a sense of us being shut out. Making more visible advancements to enhance inclusivity might encourage talented children to not feel excluded or ashamed of having chronic illnesses, using mobility aids, looking different or being seen as weak but to look at a life in the arts, on a stage or being a creative and believe they deserve a place to share their art. Disabled artists have a powerful voice full of depth, experience and that expression of strength in art benefits all of society.

Q&A

Ruth Lyon
You deserve to be just as ambitious as anyone else. Cling onto your drive and celebrate every single win that comes your way.
As an ambassador for Attitude Is Everything, The Featured Artists Coalition and RAMPD in America , I have continuously promoted more accessible spaces and pushed for better inclusion in performing arts. I was part of a big Unilever campaign to recruit more disabled artists into commercial sync work. I have consulted on many music projects happening in he North East and helped improve access for many music business organisations and venues. For example helping with funding bids improving accessibility, developing online access for emerging talent opportunities. I have led workshops on how to be a good ally to disabled artists surrounding language and attitudes and I have worked with many young people covering topics of access, inclusion and the power of musical expression. I have been featured on radio many times and was a featured artist on Radio 1 talking about my experiences as a disabled female artist, spreading awareness to a large mainstream audience of what is common yet perhaps surprising within the disabled community.
I wish to see better representation for disabled artists with those artists getting to the top of the industry without ever having to feel like they are part of a diversity spreadsheet. I want the barriers that disabled artists face to be more widely shared and acknowledged and those obstacles removed so that disabled talent can speak for itself.
I swim in the North Sea (in a wetsuit, I’m not that brave), I travel in my electric van and enjoy camping road trips. I make my own clothes and like to watch dance. I love being quiet in nature and listening to the music of wind, trees, sea, insects and thunder. I have a wonderful group of friends and enjoy painting, exploring and late night talking.
Friendship brings me joy
cats
I am a very content person so there is nothing much I would change. But I think the world would benefit from living one day in the life of a person we have nothing in common with. I think awareness and understanding is the key to equality so, if that were possible, I think it would benefit every single person and make us all better and more compassionate humans. Maybe it would make an interesting sci-fi film! What change a day could make…
Some of the changes that need to be made are obvious, things like ramps, lifts and induction loops, BSL interpretation or quiet spaces and the barrier to these basic facilities seems to be lack of funding and I hear this a lot from venues that I work with – however the biggest challenges that I face are attitudinal and this takes time and education to improve. I have had to cancel shows on the day due to venues being inaccessible, not understanding or taking the time to read my access rider which details my requirements and subsequently I have not been made aware of the challenges in advance. Not only is this bad for my business and disappointing for the people who have bought tickets, it’s also very damaging to self-esteem. I am often given no choice but to be carried around, left stranded backstage because even accessible venues very often do not cater for disabled artists. In my opinion venues shouldn’t be allowed to promote themselves as completely accessible venues if they are not also including artist access. I am a proud disabled woman, seeing my career not as something that I do in spite of my illnesses but as well and sometimes because of. Our community has valid, powerful voices and our art is infused with lived experience, empathy and a raw energy that we need to see much more widely supported and valued in the industry. We can’t magic ramps out of thin air but more can be done to make sure disabled artists feel invited, included and have space with the right education and respect.
A white woman with long brown curly hair wearing a large white dress, sitting on a bed with a crochet cover. The light shines in the window behind her and there a few trees visible. She is holding a violin and there is a houseplant and wardrobe in view.

Areas of expertise

Art, photography, Disability Advocacy, Fashion, Performing arts

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Image credits: Tash Barker
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