Disability arts

Crippen's Blog
Crippen ... probably now the best Disabled cartoonist in the world ... and you'll find him here on dao
Jon Adams' blog
Jon Adams fine art practice draws upon a wide range of materials and processes which include photography, video, sound recording and digital sound and visual manipulation, 3D installations, traditional sculpture and illustration. Jon is a Research Fellow in Disability Arts within the Faculty of CCi at the University of Portsmouth. His work includes themes of hidden disability and positive dyslexia and Aspergers awareness combined with a subversive or geological context.
Fittings Multimedia Arts
Raspberry is a musical inspired by the life and times of legendary disabled performer, Ian Dury. Written by award-winning playwright Garry Robson of Fittings Multimedia Arts, the play is showing at Oval House Theatre, London - 1 February to 19 February. Audio Described & BSL performance: Friday 18th February (See DAO listings for details)
Ju Gosling's blog
Ju Gosling aka ju90 is an artist who works mainly with digital lens-based media, as well as performance, text and sound. Ju situates her work largely within the theories and traditions of the international Disability Arts movement, and has gained an international reputation. In this Blog ju90 will focus on the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People as it relates to art, culture and sport.
Pauline Alexander Blog
Aaron Williamson's Blog
Aaron Williamson is the recipient of the Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary for 2010. He began a residency at Spike Island, Bristol on 3 February 2010. His blog covers his work-in-progress over the 12 week residency.
Anne Teahan's Blog
‘Sharing Cultures: Disability and Visibility’ is a project by Anne Teahan, researching disability arts in reference to an exhibition inspired by participation in VSA's 'Revealing Culture' - an international disability arts exhibition of 55 artists, which was on show at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington from 8 June - 29 August 2010. Her blog is a reflection on each day of a week spent in Washington and is the starting point for the research.
Commission: Transformation by Nancy Willis with music by Chris Morris
Animated art by Nancy Willis, based on 'The Explorer' by Allan Sutherland, with music by Chris Morris.
Pauline Alexander: the Many Faces of Discrimination
Pauline Alexander tells the story of turning direct experience of employment discrimination into Art
Next Year in Auckland
Philip Patston, comedy performer, public speaker and the primal force behind the International Disability Arts Symposium which will take place in Auckland in March 2009.
Art Disability Culture
David Watson, editor of Art Disability Culture Magazine, talks to Joe McConnell
Noëmi Lakmaier
Noëmi Lakmaier, winner of the Adam Reyolds bursary, talks to Colin Hambrook about her award
Ruth Gould: Creative Force in Disability Arts
A profile of Ruth Gould by Joe Bidder
Julie McNamara: Pig's Sister
Colin Hambrook talked to Julie McNamara about Pig's Sister her latest piece of theatre, due to be performed at Theatre Workshop in Edinburgh as part of the Degenerate Festival 2005.
Tales from the Boarders
Anne Teahan documents the artistic process of three artists making Art from the memories of an institution.
Dave Lupton: Crippen Cartoons
Disabled cartoonist Dave Lupton has a unique cutting edge 'disability vision', and is currently looking for support to bring his cartoons to a wider audience.
Chris Hammond
Joe Bidder interviews Chris Hammond as part of a series of profiles looking at the lives of leading figures within the Disability Arts movement
Tony Heaton: Squaring The Circle
Joe Bidder profiles Tony Heaton, a leading artist within the Disability Arts movement
National Disability Arts Collection and Archive
An introduction to the National Disability Arts Collection and Archive at Holton Lee
Tanya Raabe: Artist on the Edge
Ann Young talks about life, love and Who's Who Tanya Raabe's latest collection of paintings
Attitude At Liberty
Grae Wall talks to Joe McConnell about Attitude is Everything's music zone at this year's Liberty Festival.
National Disability Arts Collection and Archive
Joe Bidder talks to Tony Heaton about a leading Disability Arts archive spearheaded at the residential disability arts centre at Holton Lee, Dorset.
Kaleido
South-west disability arts organisation Equata have recently relaunched themselves as Kaleido
Caroline Cardus: Hidden Battles
Caroline Cardus' Go Make! residency at Fort Brockhurst in Gosport, is the fourth in an ongoing series of bursaries for disabled and deaf artists, awarded by Dada-South. Colin Hambrook reports.
Jon Adams: Word Wall
Artist challenges commuters at London Bridge station Jon Adams has recently been appointed as Southern's Artist in Residence and over the next year Adams will be creating his art on the Southern network as part of the Alternative Platform project.
Video: Disabled Avant Garde
Katherine Araniello and Aaron Williamson of the Disabled Avant Garde have published two new films satirising the current state of disability arts. Take a look and weep.
Interview: Julie McNamara discusses her theatre practice, part of Shape Animate
Colin Hambrook talks with theatre practitioner Julie McNamara about her Animate talk at Shape on 4 March 2010. Animate explores the rich history of Disability Arts through talks and workshops.
Profile: Filmpro present FAT
A unique solo performance by Pete Edwards - telling the story of a gay, disabled man in search of his heart’s desire. Produced in association with Graeae Theatre Company.
Profile: Blind with Camera at DadaFest 2010
An exhibition by Blind with Camera is showing at the DaDa-Fest International, Liverpool until 3 December 2010. DAO talked to Partho Bhowmick who set up the project in Mumbai, India in 2006 after being inspired by Evgen Bavcar, an accomplished blind photographer based in Paris.
Profile: The Way Out: The Disabled Avant-Garde
Performance artist Aaron Williamson presents a feature on BBC Radio 4 on Tuesday 15 March at 11.30am, exploring whether performing arts practice can do what political agitation never has?
Preview: Revealing Culture: HeadOn - Portraits of the Untold by Tanya Raabe
Garry Robson Artistic Director DaDaFest International 2010 reflects on the impact of the work of award-winning visual artist/disabled artist Tanya Raabe as she launches a major touring show at Solihull Gallery.
Preview: The Beaten by film-maker Simon Mckeown
Written and directed by artist and film-maker Simon Mckeown, and starring Liz Carr, 'The Beaten' questions society’s attitude to care and domination.
Liberty 2011: London's Disability Arts Festival
Liberty is a platform for amazing new work from deaf and disabled artists. Come and enjoy an afternoon of music and cabaret, outdoor arts and dance, and fun for children at the Southbank Centre and National Theatre.
Vital Xposure present 'The Knitting Circle'
The End of an Era: Cochrane Theatre’s parting performances on 21st and 22nd September will premiere Vital Xposure’s The Knitting Circle’, exposing the hidden stories of Britain’s madhouses.
Disabled Avant Garde: Stage Invasion
Disabled Avant Garde have published a four minute film on youtube of their protest at the Liberty Festival on London's South Bank on 19 August 2011.
Paddy Masefield: Strength
Deborah Williams went to a launch of Paddy Masefield's book. She recounts her first impressions of the man, his passion and commitment to disability arts.
X’08 London's 8th International Disability Film Festival
Allan Sutherland reviews X'08 London's 8th International Disability Film Festival
The Almond and the Seahorse by Kaite O’Reilly
Sara Beer reviews a performance of Kaite O’Reilly's play, on tour in Wales and Manchester
DASh Film Festival 2008
Tanya Raabe reviews the recent DASh film festival
Theatre Resource: The Conquest of the South Pole
A moving play about the problem of long-term unemployment, in which four disabled friends stave off the despair of joblessness by re-enacting Amundsen's expedition to the South Pole.
Edinburgh Fringe 2007
Jo Verrent reviews eight disability-related shows at the Edinburgh Festival
Christine Finn: Leave Home Stay
Colin Hambrook talks about the impact of Christine Finn's installation 'Leave-Home-Stay'
Julie McNamara: Pig Tales
Julie McNamara tours the UK with her story of sex, religion and psychiatry
The Disabled Avant-Garde Today!
DAO reveiws Aaron Williamson and Katherine Araniello's latest exhibition
Arts and Disability Ireland: Face On
Joe McConnell reviews Face On, a new disability arts reader, published by Arts and Disability Ireland
Caroline Cardus: The Way Ahead
Natalie Andrews from Dada-South writes about the touring exhibition Way Ahead.
Paul Cade: Light Being
Colin Hambrook looks at Paul Cade's Light Beingwithin the context of disability arts.
Ryan Knighton: Cockeyed
Kaite O'Reilly reviews a memoir by Ryan Knighton
Nabil Shaban: The First To Go
Robert Softley reviews Nabil Shaban's play about the holocaust
Ju Gosling: Abnormal
Joe McConnell reviews Ju Gosling's recent exhibition culminating from her residency with the National Institute of Medical Research
Static by Graeae Theatre Company
Robert Softely reviewed Graeae's touring production in March 2008.
Laurence Clarke: 12% Evil
Tanya Raabe reviews Laurence Clark sizing himself up to find out just how evil he can be
Liz Carr: It Hasn’t Happened Yet
Liz Carr is taking disability comedy to new boundaries with her latest show
Djamu: Cornwall Festival of Disability Arts
Graham Lewis reviews Equata's festival of disability arts
New Life: Blind In Theatre Festival Croatia 2007
Maria Oshodi reports back on Extant's recent visit to the fifth international Blind in Theatre Festival held in Zagreb in October.
Review: High Wyrrd 2008
An international showcase of disability, deaf and inclusive arts companies from around the globe took to the streets of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire between 19 - 21 September 2008.
Review: Simon Mckeown's digital artwork 'Motion Disabled'
Colin Hambrook went up to Wolverhampton Art Gallery to see a new exhibition by Simon Mckeown
Review: Fittings present Raspberry - based on the life and times of Ian Dury
Garry Robson is Spasticus! Colin Cameron caught Fittings Multimedia music-theatre production ‘Raspberry’ at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh on 9 April, 2010 at the start of its UK tour.
Review: Lisa Hammond and Rachael Spence present No Idea
Lisa and Rachael wanted to make a show together but they didn’t have any ideas. How do you make a show with no idea? Kate Cotton saw Improbable Theatre's production at the Plymouth Drum Theatre on 5 May 2010
Review: DaDaFest International 2010
DaDaFest – the UK’s leading and biggest deaf and disability arts festival celebrates its tenth year in 2010. In celebration, disabled and non disabled artists from all over the world will perform and exhibit at DaDaFest International 2010, a two week extravaganza of artistic wonder which showcases and celebrates the best in disability and deaf arts.
Review: Access All Areas
Hosted by the Live Art Development Agency, Access All Areas was a two-day public programme, a showcase and inquiry into the work of disabled artists whose medium is Live Art, where the artist’s most important piece of kit is their own body. Debbe Caulfield investigates.
Review: Resistance; Which Way the Future
Debbe Caulfield and three disabled friends saw Liz Crow’s 'Resistance; Which Way the Future' at The Brewhouse Theatre & Arts Centre in Taunton on 12th and 29 March 2011. It made them think…
Review: RippleFest
Plymouth’s very first disability arts event was a weekend packed full of creativity and learning. Kate Cotton went along to sample the workshops and performances.
Review: 'Labyrinth of Living Exhibits'
Simon Raven gives his impressions of 'Labyrinth of Living Exhibits' - a performance event curated by Aaron Williamson at the Hunterian Museum, London, presented by Shape and Arts Catalyst.
Review: Up-Stream
Up-Stream set out to showcase engaging, contemporary live and visual art works by disabled and Deaf artists - presented as part of Brighton Festival between 24-26 May 2011.
Preview: The End by film-maker Ted Evans
Melissa Mostyn-Thomas previews a chilling new film by Deaf film-maker Ted Evans. Premiered at Deaffest, The End can be viewed on Film4, the Community Channel; on the BSLBT website.
Reviews: The 5th decibel Performing Arts Showcase
A team of DAO writers went to the 5th decibel Performing Arts Showcase in Manchester from the 12th - 16th September 2011. Here you can read reviews of a large selection from the 50 performances which happened during the week.
Review: The View From Here
Trish Wheatley reviews an exhibition featuring works by Martin Bruch, Juan delGado, Aidan Moesby and an intervention by DAO blogger Gini, currently on show at Salisbury Arts Centre, as part of the Re-Imagining Exhibitions programme.
Review: ‘Defying Definitions: disability arts in the mainstream’
Alan McLean gets under the skin of a thought-provoking two day symposium produced by Dash, at the end of their series of Outside In commissions. Held at the Arena Theatre Wolverhampton, on 2 December, the day explored Dash's support of work at New Art Gallery Walsall, Oriel Davies Newtown and Wolverhampton Art Gallery.
National Disability Arts Collection and Archive
An introduction to the National Disability Arts Collection and Archive at Holton Lee
Tony Heaton
A selection of work by a leading artist within the Disability Arts movement.
Rachel Gadsden: Beyond the Asylum
Beyond the Asylum: A collection of paintings by Rachel Gadsden which formed the basis for the accompanying narrative.
Crippen Cartoons
Disabled cartoonist Dave Lupton has a unique cutting edge 'disability vision', and is currently looking for support to bring his cartoons to a wider audience.
Memories of the Disability Action Network
The Disability Action Network carried out many protests against the lack of accessible transport (amongst other things) during the latter half of the 1990’s. Peter Street recalls some of the action and shares some of his dramatic photographs.
Gallery: Jon Adams presents The Goose on the Hill
Jon Adams presents a gallery of images of artworks on exhibition at Pallant House Gallery from 13 October – 22 November 2009
Gallery: Aidan Moesby
Aidan Moesby is a text artist who utilises a variety of media, technologies and approaches in order to realise the artwork.
Gallery: Dolly Sen
Dolly Sen is a writer, director, artist, filmmaker, poet, performer, playwright, mental health consultant, music-maker and public speaker. She posts some of her artwork, challenging the nature of 'madness.'
Tim Jeeves: A portrait of a young man as the (disabled) artist
Tim Jeeves questions the label disability artist in the light of his current work.
Ju Gosling: Towards a Scientific Model of Disability
Ju Gosling talks about her residency at the National Institute of Medical Research
Disability Arts Moments
DAO asks what are your favourite pieces of work (in any art form) by disabled artists? What do you feel should be preserved for future generations?
DAO and Disability Arts
Colin Hambrook gives an overview of Disability Arts as understood by DAO.
Alternative Dramaturgies informed by a Deaf and Disability perspective
Artist Alicia Grace reviews the second Alternative Dramaturgies symposium.
Holton Lee Disability Arts Open Exhibition
Colin Hambrook reflects on the first open exhibition to embrace Disability Arts and asks how we push the debate for quality to a further level
What's up with Disability Arts?
Colin Hambrook asks some questions about disability and the role of Disability Arts.
On The Next Level: Labels Seminar
In response to a workshop, as a part of Art Shape's Space Between touring exhibition, Zoe Partington confronts the issue of labels. Who uses them? Who chooses them?
Discussion: Sweet are the uses of adversity
Colin Hambrook, Aidan Shingler and Sue Williams discuss the language of the Disability Arts Movement.
Paddy Masefield: Whose Learning Difficulty?
Strength charts a journey through Disability Arts over the past 20 years
Mat Fraser: Disability Arts: Good or Bad?
Mat Fraser talks about the support he's had from the Disability Arts world and the need for more constructive criticism.
Disability Arts, a monster, a myth
Penny Pepper gives a potted history, swears a lot and asks some vital questions about where the disability arts movement is going
Disability Art and Science: Resonant Frequency
Resonant Frequency was a partnership between ITHACA, Science Oxford (the Oxford Trust) and Disability Arts Online (DAO) which sought to explore the issues around disability arts and science.
Interview: Tony Heaton discusses Shape's 'Animate' programme
Colin Hambrook talked to Tony Heaton, Chief Executive of Shape about the inspiration behind Shape's 'Animate' programme
Discussion: Victoria Wright on language
Victoria Wright featured on Radio 4's 'Word of Mouth' with Francesca Martinez. Here she discusses her relationship with the language used by and about disabled people, and asks questions about the importance of definitions.
Interview with Deborah Williams
Colin Hambrook talked to Deborah Williams about her approach to making theatre and her dreams for her company, Reality Productions.
Discussion: Anne Teahan - 'Sharing Cultures'
Sharing Cultures is a project researching disability arts by artist Anne Teahan inspired by Revealing Culture an international festival of disability art and culture at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC in summer 2010. Here Anne reflects on the show and what disability has got to do with art.
Forest Forge Theatre Company: Peeling 
Playwright Kaite O’Reilly discusses Forest Forge Theatre Company’s production of Peeling , touring Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset from 26 March – 16 April 2011
Interview: Gus Cummins talks about his new work Ictal
Gus Cummins is creating a variety of visual arts and media, inspired by his experience of epilepsy. The work ranges from painting to video and digital installations. Colin Hambrook asked Gus a few questions in preparation for seeing the work at DadaFest
Interviews: The 5th decibel Performing Arts Showcase
A team of DAO writers went to the 5th decibel Performing Arts Showcase in Manchester from the 12th - 16th September 2011. Here you can read interviews with many of the artists and delegates reflecting on decibel and the Creative Case for Diversity, which was launched at a conference at the beginning of the week.
Research: Anne Teahan - Sharing Cultures: Disability and Visibility
Sharing Cultures is a project researching disability arts by artist Anne Teahan inspired by Revealing Culture an international festival of disability art and culture at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC in summer 2010. Here Anne shares her extensive research on a selection of artists whose work was chosen to for exhibition.
Celebrating disability arts
Allan Sutherland reviews 20 years of disability arts.
Critical Writing Masterclass
A group of disabled writers were invited by New Writing South and DAO (Disability Arts Online) to a series of seminars to develop skills in critical writing and gain an understanding of its role within the world of news media and p
Allan Sutherland: What is Disability Arts?
What are the issues which have underpinned the development of Disability Arts? Allan Sutherland offers a concise explanation.
Ruth Bailey: What is Disability Theatre?
Ruth Bailey give an overview of the development of some of the main contenders.
NWDAF masterclass lead by Nabil Shaban
Kevin Donnellon takes part in a series of workshops hosted by NWDAF and asks what lessons we can learn from the past
Memories of the Disability Action Network
Poet Peter Street recalls the famous Disability Action Network protests of the mid-90s with a stunning series of photographs.
The National Disability Arts Collection
The National Disability Arts Collection & Archive: The Story So Far… (November 2005)
Karen Sheader: Planet of the Blind
A selection of songs of 4 MP3s from Planet of the Blind
Rachel Gadsden: Beyond the Asylum
A narrative from Rachel Gadsden based on her collection of paintings, Beyond the Asylum.
Allan Sutherland: Paddy Masefield Poems
32 poems by Allan Sutherland based on interviews with Paddy Masefield as part of the Edward Lear Oral History Project.
Colin Cameron
A series of short stories by Colin Cameron exploring the disabling attitudes faced by disabled people on a daily basis.
Short play: Bob Williams-Findlay presents Nothing to Fear
DAO is delighted to present a short play by Bob Williams-Findlay, (Former Chairperson of the British Council of Disabled People) - entitled 'Nothing to Fear'
Short story: A Dying Breed by Ann Young
Ann Young relates a story about life in a Special School in the 60s and 70s. This story is dedicated to Brian, June and Gary who died whilst attending the Palace School, Ely in Cambridgeshire.
Disabled artists explore scientific ideas
As part of this blog, Colin Hambrook is building an overview of artists and art projects that have set out to explore different aspects of an engagement between disability arts and science.

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