Page 14 - Community Living Issue 31-3

Being seen: performance
Professional creators

Talented artists and performers are breaking through in the areas of dance, theatre, music,
drama and visual arts – but some still demean their work as ‘therapy’ if they have learning
disabilities. Gus Garside reports on the successes and reflects on the barriers that remain

visual artist and a film maker, both The year 2012 also saw the birth who is based with Carousel, embarked on
of whom had learning disabilities, of Unlimited, a commissioning his first UK tour, which ran during 2016
a were attending a conference back programme established as part of the and 2017. He now has over 52,000 fans
in 2012. Art by people with learning Cultural Olympiad linked to the London on Facebook, where his videos have been
disabilities was under discussion and a Olympic and Paralympic Games, to viewed more than 100,000 times.
delegate said: “The arts are such good support “ambitious, creative projects This tiny selection of random highlights
therapy for them.” by outstanding disabled artists from recent years illustrates how the
The artist and film maker were and companies”. involvement of people with learning
understandably put out by the comment, In the first round, singer-songwriter Jez disabilities in the arts is starting to go
feeling that it illustrated a lack of regard Colborne of Bradford’s Mind the Gap mainstream, albeit slowly and
for their work and the work of other Theatre Company received one of the sporadically.
artists and performers with learning commissions to create Irresistible. Two
disabilities. years later, he was commissioned by the Why create art?
They said: “We have all experienced New Music Biennial to create Gift. Set in a So why is it important? Let’s hear first
having people patronise our work,” and shipping container, this musical from some of the delegates to Creative
noted it was all too often put under installation was presented at the South Minds conferences about why they create
education, outreach or community work Bank Centre and in Glasgow as part of the art for public consumption:
programmes rather than seen as Commonwealth Games Cultural
professional arts. programme. “To say something or change something
Two years later, dancer and about the world.”
choreographer Chris Pavia of Stopgap
Dance Company created The Awakening “I’ve got something I want to tell you.”
– the first professional work made for
national touring by a choreographer with “This is my career.”
Down’s syndrome.
In 2016, Action Space artist Thompson By sharing their art through exhibitions
Hall was commissioned by HOUSe and or performances, they enrich us all by
Outside In to take part in HOUSE Festival adding new voices and perceptions and
2016 alongside Turner prize-winning often new ways of doing things.
Gillian Wearing. However, for most, art is not created to
Singer-songwriter Daniel Wakeford’s videos Singer-songwriter Daniel Wakeford, be seen by others. It is simply an integral
have been viewed more than 100,000 times part of the human experience. The process
of creating art is potent and personal:
So a project called Creative Minds
began. Members of Carousel, Action “My art tells me who I am – it shows
Space, Rocket Artists, Corali Dance you who I am.”
Company and Face Front Theatre Company
came together to organise a conference at Barriers
the Brighton Dome in 2014. They invited Research we have carried out with a
artists with learning disabilities and number of venues has highlighted four
representatives from the wider arts world significant barriers to the work of learning
to join a discussion. disabled artists being given a higher
Since then, Creative Minds has profile in the wider arts world:
developed into a national project. It held ● ●They say they don’t know what work by
conferences in Bristol at We the Curious, learning disabled artists and performers
(formerly the Science Museum) in 2014, is out there that is appropriate for a
in Ipswich at Dance East in 2015 and, last wider public
year, at Home in Manchester and Mac ● ●They remain concerned about issues
Birmingham. Each conference was of quality
planned and hosted by a regional team of ● ●They are concerned about whether
artists with learning disabilities. each one there is a big enough audience for it
has been different. It has been a truly ● ●They need help in terms of marketing
creative journey. the work.

14 Vol 31 No 3 | Spring 2018 community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk