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PIONEERING DISABILITY ART Celebrating disability arts and culture, Unlimited is the UK’s largestever disability arts programme, launched as an integral part of the Cultural Olympiad. The programme, which aims to transform the disability arts movement in the UK, includes a £1.5 million commission fund to support collaborations between disability arts organisations, disabled artists and producers, and mainstream arts organisations.
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In the Northwest, Liverpool-based Fittings Multimedia Arts are developing The Ugly Truth, as one of only ten commissions to be awarded funding nationally. The project, which works with disabled and able-bodied young people across the entire region, aims to develop a challenging performance piece exploring issues of identity, to complement the Northwest 2012 cultural programme’s theme of Body and Economy. The resulting piece will tour a variety of mainstream venues and unusual settings around the country.
OPENING UP SPORTING OPPORTUNITIES A programme being run by the Seashell Trust charity in Cheadle Hulme is enabling both able and disabled children and adults to get involved in sport, regardless of their background or ability. The CADS programme delivers a variety of fully inclusive sport and leisure activities and facilities, ranging from sport events to multi-sport weeks, allowing disadvantaged groups, particularly those with severe and complex multiple disabilities, the same opportunities as their peers. Participants, volunteers, coaches and support staff all take part in the same activities, helping to create a better understanding of disability issues amongst non-disabled participants.
CADS has had great success since it began and now approximately 1,500 young people benifit from the events taking place. Following funding from Sport England and the Peter Harrison Foundation, the programme is now being delivered across the whole region. In December 2009, CADS’ work was also given national recognition, by being awarded the BBC ‘Power of Sport’ award, which celebrates inspiring sports projects and the people behind them.
1 Paralympic World Cup, Manchester 2 Showcasing Disability Arts 3 The CADS Programme
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