Disability Arts Online

Disability Arts Online is an online platform which celebrates disability arts and features blogs, news, reviews, creative writing and writers writing about disability and the arts.

History

The site was created by artist Colin Hambrook in 2004 who wanted to create an online space where deaf and disabled artists could talk about issues they faced and find support with like-minded people.^[1] It was originally set up as a channel on Arts Council England's website in 2002, but then was registered as an independent organisation in 2004.^[2]

Work

Disability Art Online’s vision is to achieve widespread appreciation for the richness and diversity of disability arts and culture. As well as nurturing and showcasing talent, it provides information and creates opportunities for disabled artists. With many guest bloggers and critics, DAO is continually sparking intelligent debate to support the development of the disability arts sector. (cite: Unlimited Impact)

There are two parts to DAO's work:

It provides news, reviews and interviews about disability arts and its writers are predominantly disabled. It also features blogs, projects, listings and a directory which contains a comprehensive set of deaf and disability-related links for web-based projects, artists and organisations.

As an organisation Disability Arts Online also commissions artworks and films and is involved in a number of projects:

Viewfinder an 18-month commissioning, digital media and sector development programme funded by Arts Council England’s Grants for the Arts, run in partnership with Wikimedia UK, Sick! Festival, SPILL Festival, Carousel, the New Wolsey Theatre, Culture 24 and Goldsmiths Disability Research Centre. This will encompasses new artist commissions and a new video channel. There will also be a series of workshops to train disabled artists to write pieces on high profile disabled artists and develop their writing skills for publication, promotion, critique and social media. In addition the trainees will attend editathon training days to produce Wikipedia entries on UK disabled artists.^[3]

Disability Arts Online has a media partnership with Unlimited and reports and reviews all of Unlimited activities as well as publicising the artists and their work. It will also give the artists a space to blog about their work.

DAO is also working in partnership with NDACA (National Disability Arts Cultural Archive). The partnership brings together expertise in disability arts, heritage, education, theatre, community arts, moving image and web development. (cite - NDACA)

References

1. "Guardian". The Guardian Select. 23 November 2012.
2. "The Latest in the Who’s Who at Unlimited series, our good friends and partners, Disability Arts Online (DAO)". Unlimited Impact.
3. "DAO seeks disabled artists looking to improve their arts writing skills as part of their career development - See more at: http://housetheatre.org.uk/dao-seeks-disabled-artists-looking-to-improve-their-arts-writing-skills-as-part-of-their-career-development/#sthash.SNNCjs4k.dpuf". House Theatre. External link in |title= (help)

External links