Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability:
the international creative
case for inclusion
Ben Evans Head of Arts & Disability
European Union Region
British Council
Artificial Things
Stopgap Dance Company
© Chris Parkes
Architecture, Design, Fashion
Creative Economy
Film
Literature
Music
Theatre and Dance
Visual Arts
Our work in arts
Arts Digital Strategy
Arts Digital Strategy
Arts Digital Strategy
Arts Digital Strategy
Backstage in Biscuit Land
Touretteshero
© Jonathan Birch
Arts Digital Strategy
The Nightmare After Fuseli
detail from Tom Shakespeare
© Shape Arts Collection
The Creative Case for Diversity
Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability
The Social Model of Disability
Two principles:
Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability
Models of Disability
Charity model
Disabled people are
unfortunate, should be pitied
and need financial support.
It is morally right to support
them.
Disabled people need to be
cured, they are seen as
passive, dependent on
medical specialists.
People have different
impairments but they are
disabled by society (by
structural, cultural, economic
and attitudinal barriers). This
model emphasises the
independence of disabled
people, once the barriers are
addressed.
Social model Medical model
Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability
Social Model of Disability & the Arts
• Training
• Career development / Artistic
Development
• Showcasing
• Touring
• Networking
Artists & Cultural Leaders
• Access to the arts (physical)
• Access to the arts (financial)
• Cultural assumption
Audiences
Arts Digital Strategy
- Young audience member
- Aspiration o ‘I’d like to do that’ o ‘That could be me’ - Family / community culture that supports ambition - Opportunities at school o Small focus at young age o Increasing seriousness as growing older - After school club. Lessons. Amateur performances / exhibitions - Entry into professional arts education (part-time / full-time) - Working with peer group
- First professional (often unpaid) opportunities - Joining existing ensemble or first own works - Professional development opportunities - Supported by arts incubation projects - Residencies - Workshops - Exchanges - Mentoring - Paid presentation of works - Tours. Commissions. - International opportunities.
Possible artist journey
The Creative Case for Diversity
Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability
Diversity and representation
in the arts: why?
Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability
Moral Case Legal Case Creative Case
Diversity and representation in the arts: why?
Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability
Moral Case
Diversity and representation in the arts: why?
Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability
Legal Case
• Disability Discrimination Act 1995 Employers and service providers are under a duty to make
reasonable adjustments to their workplaces to overcome barriers
experienced by disabled people.
• Response of Arts Funders
Diversity and representation in the arts: why?
Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability
Creative Case
• Arts Council England, 2011 The Creative Case for Diversity sets out how diversity and equality
can enrich the arts for artists, audiences and our wider society.
Diversity and representation in the arts: why?
Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability
Creative Case
• Artists with unique experiences of and perspectives on the world
make new and unique art
• Explorations of difference or ‘the other’ help us all understand the
society in which we live
• Diversity is one of the creative opportunities of our time
• Idiosyncratic work made to disrupt
The Nightmare After Fuseli detail from Tom Shakespeare © Shape Arts Collection
‘The last remaining avant-garde movement’ Yinka Shonibare visual artist
Arts & Disability in Europe
What are we doing to address the barriers preventing
disabled people achieving full equal access to the arts
as audiences and as artists?
What are we doing to ensure the arts benefit from the
aesthetic challenge to form offered by
disabled artists?
Art, aesthetics, cultural
policy and disability
Arts Digital Strategy
Reinventing Access for
audience and visitors
Arts Digital Strategy
www.stagetext.org
Arts Digital Strategy
www.attitudeiseverything.co.uk
Arts Digital Strategy
www.attitudeiseverything.co.uk
Arts Digital Strategy
Arts & Disability in Europe
Moving Beyond Inclusion
Candoco Dance Company (UK), SPINN (Sweden), Center for
movement Research (Croatia), Tanzfähig Berlin (Germany) and
BewegGrund (Switzerland) Oriente Occidente (Italy)
Arts & Disability in Europe
Beyond Access
British Council (UK), Onassis Cultural Centre (Greece), Center for
movement Research (Croatia), Vo’Arte (Portugal)
Arts & Disability in Europe
The Humane Body
Wiener Tanzwochen (Austria), Kaaitheater (Belgium), Centre
National de la Danse (France) ,and The Place (UK)
Arts & Disability in Europe
Un-Label
Sommertheater Pusteblume e.V (Germany), Candoco Dance Company (UK), Synergy of Music Theatre (Greece), Sosyal Kulturel Yasami Gelistirme Dernegi (Turkey), TH Köln (Germany)
Arts & Disability in Europe
iDance Support innovative practices in inclusive dance education
Onassis Cultural Centre (Greece), Skånes Dansteater (Sweden),
Holland Dance Festival (Netherlands), Stopgap Dance Company (UK)
Arts Digital Strategy
- Young audience member
- Aspiration o ‘I’d like to do that’ o ‘That could be me’ - Family / community culture that supports ambition - Opportunities at school o Small focus at young age o Increasing seriousness as growing older - After school club. Lessons. Amateur performances / exhibitions - Entry into professional arts education (part-time / full-time) - Working with peer group
- First professional (often unpaid) opportunities - Joining existing ensemble or first own works - Professional development opportunities - Supported by arts incubation projects - Residencies - Workshops - Exchanges - Mentoring - Paid presentation of works - Tours. Commissions. - International opportunities.
Possible artist journey
Ben Evans Head of Arts & Disability, European Union Region British Council [email protected] www.DisabilityArtsInternational.org Twitter: @DisArtsInt
