DATE: April 2019

This statement on Rights and Pathways of Support for Disabled Artists is the result of an all island gathering hosted by Cultural Policy Observatory Ireland, which took place on 1st March 2019 at Queen’s University Belfast. The event was organised by Dr Franziska Schroeder, Sonic Arts Research Centre; Dr. Victoria Durrer, Cultural Policy Observatory Ireland and Paula Larkin, University of Atypical.

The event gathered together practitioners, policymakers and researchers to discuss disability within the arts in an informal, conversational setting. 25 people attended, including researchers, artists and individuals from district councils, arts support networks and organisations, arts organisations, Arts Council Northern Ireland and Department for Communities.

Collectively, we explored:

• The experiences and developmental needs of disabled artists on the island of Ireland
• The needs of arts programmers in supporting those artists
• The challenges to career sustainability for artists

Those interested may also wish to connect with the Disability Research Network based at Queen’s University Belfast.

Also of interest is Protecting the Right to Culture of Persons with Disabilities and Enhancing Cultural Diversity through European Union Law: Exploring New Paths (DANCING). It explores the right of all persons with disabilities to take part in cultural life as an essential aspect of enhancing cultural diversity in the European Union. It aims to produce ground-breaking knowledge and adopts an interdisciplinary and participatory approach. The project is funded by the European Research Council and is based at Maynooth University under Professor Delia Ferri as a Principal Investigator.