Cultural participation is a human right and a vital part of being a member of society. Yet, persons with disabilities face multiple obstacles when participating in cultural life. In the European Union (EU), Eurostat data have shown the significant and persistent ‘disability gap’ in cultural participation, with data showing lower rates of cultural participation among people with disabilities compared with the overall population aged 16 and over across all EU Member States (MS). Barriers faced by persons with disabilities include the absence of adequate or effective legislation ensuring the right to cultural participation, as well as the insufficient consultation and involvement of persons with disabilities in relevant decision-making processes. Additionally, the lack of physical and informational accessibility of cultural sites, goods and services, as well as persistent negative attitudes and stigma around participation of people with disabilities in the Cultural and Creative Sectors (CCS) are significant barriers for persons with disabilities. Structural barriers - such as poverty, social marginalisation and exclusion, along with the lack of adequate support services - contribute to the exclusion of people with disabilities from cultural life. Further, in the EU, barriers to cultural participation are linked to the existing fragmentation of EU accessibility legislation, piecemeal approaches to funding for accessible cultural initiatives as well as to relatively low prioritisation of cultural participation of persons with disabilities in EU disability policy. As provided for in Article 26 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (CFR), persons with disabilities have the right ‘to benefit from measures designed to ensure their independence, social and occupational integration and participation in the life of the community’, which includes participation in culture. Furthermore, Article 30 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) articulates the right of persons with disabilities to participate in cultural life - alongside the right to participate in sport, leisure, and recreation – and lists a number of obligations to be complied with by States Parties to the Convention. Having ratified the CRPD, the EU, alongside its MS, shall implement Article 30 and promote the right to culture of persons with disabilities. However, ensuring meaningful participation in cultural life for people with disabilities is not only a matter of compliance with the CRPD and social justice, but it is also a vital contribution to the richness and diversity of society. When cultural spaces, programmes, and policies are accessible and inclusive, everyone benefits.