talk · one-off
White & Yellow Elephants: The colour contrast challenge
Why colour contrast keeps failing — and what to do about it
When
Wednesday 24 June
Time
17:00
Venue
Accenture - Apsley House
City Centre
Price
Free
Colour contrast is one of the most cited accessibility failures on the web, yet it remains stubbornly common. In this talk, Danny Payne — a member of the A11y North community — takes on what should be a straightforward principle and asks why progress has stalled. The talk is titled White (& Yellow) Elephants: The colour contrast challenge and covers the gap between knowing the rules and actually shipping accessible colour choices. Expect an honest look at where teams go wrong and what practical steps can move things forward.
The evening runs from 6 pm to roughly 8 pm at Accenture's Apsley House offices on Wellington Street in Leeds city centre. There's a food and drink reception from 18:00, the talk itself starts at 18:30, and a Q&A follows from 19:25. The format is a single talk with audience questions, aimed at designers, developers, content people and anyone who touches a product where colour decisions get made. You don't need to be an accessibility specialist to get something out of it.
A11y North is one of Leeds's longest-running accessibility-focused meetup groups. They bring together practitioners from across the region — designers, engineers, researchers, product managers — to share knowledge and push accessibility up the agenda. Events are free and held at venues around the city. This one is hosted at Accenture's Leeds office, a newer venue for the group.
Note: this event was originally scheduled for 24 June 2026 and has been postponed. The confirmed date is Wednesday 12 August 2026, 18:00–20:00 BST. The Meetup page will be updated with the final confirmed details.
Why attend
Danny Payne's talk is grounded in a real frustration: colour contrast is testable, well-documented and still routinely wrong in production. If you work on anything visual — whether you're writing CSS, specifying design tokens or reviewing a brand palette — this is directly relevant.
The Q&A session gives you 30 minutes to put specific questions to someone who has clearly thought hard about this. The reception beforehand is a decent chance to meet other Leeds-based accessibility and design practitioners in a small, informal setting. Free entry, central location, food and drink included.
Agenda
- 18:00 — Food and drink reception
- 18:25 — Welcome
- 18:30 — White (& Yellow) Elephants: The colour contrast challenge — Danny Payne
- 19:15 — Break
- 19:25 — Q&A
- 19:55 — Close and networking
Speakers
- Danny Payne — A11y North community member speaking on colour contrast accessibility failures and how to address them.
Organiser
A11y North
A11y North is a Leeds-based meetup group focused on web and digital accessibility. They run free events across the city, bringing together designers, developers and researchers who care about inclusive products. Events typically feature a talk, Q&A and networking.
Venue
Accenture - Apsley House, City Centre
Accenture's Apsley House is on Wellington Street in Leeds city centre, second floor. The building is older and does not have level access at the main entrance, but an alternative accessible entrance is available — contact the organisers in advance if you need it.
FAQs
- Is this event free to attend?
- Yes, entry is free. Food and drink are provided from 18:00.
- Where exactly is the venue?
- Accenture - Apsley House, Wellington Street, 2nd Floor, Leeds LS1 2EQ. It's in the city centre, a short walk from Leeds train station.
- Is the venue accessible?
- The building does not have level access at the main entrance but does have an alternative accessible entrance. Contact the organisers in advance if you have specific access needs.
- Do I need to register to attend?
- Yes, register via the A11y North Meetup page to secure your place and let the organisers know of any access or dietary requirements.
- When is this event actually happening — I heard it was postponed?
- The original date of 24 June 2026 was postponed. The confirmed date is Wednesday 12 August 2026, 18:00–20:00 BST. Check the Meetup page for final confirmation.