Disability Arts Online

Trish Wheatley interviews Ben Fredericks, Shape’s Programme Officer about the up-and-coming Shape Open - a visual arts competition, that asks disabled and non-disabled artists to respond to 'disability'

Let's book it blogger Dana Burgess interviews Terry Tracy, author of 'A Great Place for a Seizure', about the advantages of self-publishing a novel which explores disability with an "engaging balance of insight, irreverence and sensitivity."

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.

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.

Artistic Director, Garry Robson discusses two films by Simon McKeown he has programmed at subsequent DaDaFest International Festivals

Playwright Kaite O’Reilly discusses Forest Forge Theatre Company’s production of Peeling
, touring Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset from 26 March – 16 April 2011

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.

Breaking the Code: new approaches to diversity and equality in the arts is an essay by Hassan Mahamdallie from 'Beyond Cultural Diversity: the case for creativity' - a publication compiled and edited by Richard Appignanesi for Third Text

Film-maker Gary Thomas has acquired another impairment. He talks frankly about invisible disability and identity.

In the run-up to In Touch with Art 2010 at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London in October, DAO publishes some reflections on access to museums and galleries.

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.

Comedian Frankie Boyle has hit the news for making jokes at the expense of learning disabled people during his sell-out tour. Victoria Wright, writer and star of Channel 4s Cast Offs, writes him an open letter.

What does the success of Heart n Soul mean for the rest of us in disability arts? Jon Pratty talks to Tony Panayiotou, Director of Diversity at Arts Council England, at the Heart n Soul MBE celebration party at Deptford Albany.

Colin Hambrook talked to Tony Heaton, Chief Executive of Shape about the inspiration behind Shape's 'Animate' programme

Visual Artist Tanya Raabe is engaged in an exciting new multi-layered project exploring identity and disability culture in contemporary portraiture and the nude. Colin Hambrook interviewed her for dao.

"Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll" - the biopic of the life of punk legend Ian Dury opens in London on 8 January 2010. Colin Hambrook discusses the pros and cons of choosing Andy Serkis to play the lead role.

Colin Cameron is currently conducting PhD research at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, looking at an affirmative model of disability. Colin Hambrook interviews Cameron to discover how his work is defining and redefining models of disability.

Accentuate was launched on December 3 2009 at the Dome, Brighton, with a sparkle of disability arts excellence from South-East based performers and artists. Colin Hambrook summarises some of the discussion that took place on the day.

Colin Hambrook, editor of dao, attended the Art of Difference Disability and Deaf Arts Festival at the Gasworks, Melbourne from 10-21 March 2009. He also went along to the Momentum09 one-day conference in Auckland on 27 February 2009. Here he compares the differences between the development of Disability Arts in the UK in comparison to developments in the Antipodes.

Colin Hambrook talks to Cast Offs co-writer Jack Thorne about a show that promises to be a milestone in television comedy drama. Eagerly awaited, Cast Offs airs at 11pm on Tuesday 24 November.

Audio: Decibel 2009 was a cool mix of Deaf and Disabled and 'traditional' diverse BME performers. Jon Pratty speaks with Bill Bragin, programmer from the Lincoln Centre for Performing Arts in New York. Has mixing audiences and culture strands flattered, or flattened Deaf and Disabled acts at Decibel?

Liz Porter reflects on what the Disability Arts movement has given her over the years – and where she is now – in response to discussions at the Lead On conference as part of the government funded Cultural Leadership Programme held in Cheltenham Town Hall on 21 September 2009.

Tim Jeeves explores why many fashion photographers only see one sort of reality when it comes to the human body

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.

'Outside In' is a programme initiated by Pallant House Gallery, Chichester, dedicated to creating opportunities for marginalised and disabled artists. Colin Hambrook gives a personal take on the issues which underlie the project.

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

DAO asks Sarah Kennedy about the work of Mind the Gap and a forthcoming conference it is organising around opportunities for learning disabled actors

Tim Jeeves recently came back from Singapore with some thought-provoking questions about cultural interpretations of disability art

Tim Jeeves questions the label disability artist in the light of his current work.

Artist Alicia Grace reviews the second Alternative Dramaturgies symposium.

Colin Hambrook, Aidan Shingler and Sue Williams discuss the language of the Disability Arts Movement.

Colin Hambrook talked to Deborah Williams about her approach to making theatre and her dreams for her company, Reality Productions.

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?

Joe McConnell talks to Karen Sheader about the production of her CD, 'Planet of the Blind.'