The Blue Camel Club in Brighton, designed to fill the gap in opportunities for learning-disabled clubbers to socialise, opened 25 years ago.
Today, it is the largest inclusive club on the south coast and, on Monday 7 October, will make its return to the newly renovated Corn Exchange in Brighton.
Around 250-350 people attend each club event – a welcoming environment where learning-disabled individuals and their friends enjoy a night out, a place where these clubbers can rave to good music by learning-disabled DJs and be safe while having fun.
Carousel, the arts charity that runs the night, has held more than 100 club events in total, welcomed over 33,000 clubgoers and given a stage to more than 2,500 learning-disabled performers, from musicians to DJs. Four DJs debuted at the November 2023 event.
Within a few years of being set up, the Blue Camel Club had expanded, setting up Blue Starfish in Worthing, Blue Wave at Bognor Regis, Blue Bird in Crawley and Blue Oasis in Horsham.
The camaraderie among clubbers, DJs, and Carousel’s staff and volunteers is a hallmark of the Blue Camel Club.
Organising Blue Camel Club events involves coordinating up to 50 staff, volunteers, committee members, artistes and guests.
VJ David Briggs enhances the experience with his visuals, perfectly complementing the music. Blue Camel Club’s DJs have honed their skills through Carousel’s workshops.
The club’s comperes such as Susannah (surname withheld) are skilled radio presenters and poets. The communication skills they have developed through Carousel’s radio and spoken word projects make them charismatic, welcoming hosts.
Our October club night will be space themed. New interactive activities will run alongside the usual experience. Plans include space decorations, a live green screen activity (so clubbers can see themselves against different backgrounds), a space game and more. Clubbers are encouraged to dress as aliens, astronauts or planets.
Music and lighting will be subdued to give a gentle start during a quiet hour before the clubbing atmosphere kicks in from 7pm. Within the quiet room, there will be space for everyone, no matter what your needs are. The chill-out space will offer a relaxing environment with space-themed music, coloured lighting, comfortable furniture and sensory activities, perfect for those needing a break from the busy club environment.
Recent feedback includes a comment from one clubgoer who described the Blue Camel Club as “so important to Brighton”.
“It is real. It is where people with a learning disability meet their friends,” the clubber says. “It’s where anyone can dance. It has brilliant bands and DJs.”
Another clubgoer, Ziggy (surname withheld) said: “It’s somewhere you can go to break free. I feel safe there. You don’t get judged and I feel less insecure. I’ve found new friends there too. It’s sort of a lifesaver.”
Tickets are £6 (carers free). Book tickets at https://carousel.org.uk/
Jason Eade is a Carousel artiste and Blue Camel Club compere and Dave Lavis is the club’s producer
Tips for top nights out
The Blue Camel Club crew have a few key tips for organisations seeking to emulate their success:
- First, find out in what ways the local night-time arts and leisure offer is not serving learning-disabled people
- Next, talk to learning-disabled people themselves. Ask them, for example, are venues accessible? Are events too loud, busy or intimidating? Are their musical tastes catered for? Do events start or finish at inaccessible times?
- Do learning-disabled artistes – musicians, performers, DJs – get opportunities to gain experience or work at mainstream venues? Design events that offer learning-disabled people what is not already being offered locally
