Upcoming Events and Opportunities: 27 March 2021
Welcome back to The Disability Issue’s weekly posts providing people with upcoming events and opportunities regarding disability arts. This post is only the second one of its kind released. However, things are running smoothly. I have little fear that I’ll run out of material when it comes to writing. Events and opportunities are happening, and The Disability Issue wants to point you towards what’s happening soon. Disability arts are still alive, despite the pandemic causing us trouble at the moment.
Once again, the listed events and opportunities are available for readers to experience in some way. You might watch it, you might hear it, or you might get involved with it. Although the government are due to reduce COVID-19-related rules, using your sense of touch won’t be available for quite some time. However, people can access discussions about various disability arts online. There are also plenty of chances to get involved in visual art, music, film, performing arts and literature due in the future.
If real-time interaction is needed, most people currently speak face-to-face via Zoom. If you need help setting up Zoom, then click here for help via their website. YouTube is also regularly used to show videos, and webpages often give plenty of information about the event or opportunity too.
So, let’s get down to business. What options are available?
Kindred Spirits Online Exhibition
When?
Available via Jennifer Lauren website until 31 March.
Price?
Free
What does it involve?
The Jennifer Lauren Gallery is currently presenting a new online exhibition entitled Kindred Spirits. The exhibition presents drawings by four artists whose works possess incredible spiritual energy and compelling beauty.
The buoyant urge to draw, accompanied by experiences of a spiritual or psychic nature, forms a harmonious bond between the exhibition’s artists. Each of them has a deep understanding of the other’s ups and downs in developing this unique artistic process. The four artists are o2o, Ghasem Ahmadi, Chris Neate and Zinnia Nishikawa.
Are you yet to come across the Jennifer Lauren Gallery website or its founder? If so, you are likely to be impressed. This isn’t so much by its size or quality; it’s about who runs the gallery, and their intentions. Jennifer Gilbert founded and solely runs the gallery. It aims to champion and exhibit international self-taught, disabled and overlooked artists who create works outside the mainstream art world and art history. Although their location in Manchester is currently inaccessible, their exhibitions are available online. Jennifer Gilbert’s work is much appreciated, and she works closely with British organisations, studios and communities supporting disabled artists.
To view the exhibition, head to their customised webpage to view the drawings on show. Text on the webpage offers you plenty of information about the artwork and disabled artist’s background. Audio and BSL are available to help people learn about it, as well as a free exhibition booklet for people to download.
Cultivating (More) Flight in Blue Skies
What is the deadline for applications?
6 April 2021.
What does it involve?
This opportunity for a commission and residency is being produced by Coventry Biennial, DASH and Talking Birds. Coventry Biennial should interest many people and become accessible for them too as it begins in October 2021. However, one d/Deaf, disabled or neurodivergent visual artist soon awaits one significant opportunity. If it sounds suitable for you, do you want to get involved with Cultivating (more) Flight in Blues Skies?
Talking Birds are offering the commission and residency as a continuation of their Nest Residency programme. It will provide the chosen candidate time, space and conversation with other artists. It has been designed to allow artists to consider leaping into their much wilder ideas.
Applicants should note that Coventry Biennial 2021: HYPER-POSSIBLE will be exploring the legacies, working practices and intersections of a trio of art historical moments in the city. These are:
Art & Language / Conceptual Art (1960’s/70’s), The BLK Art Group (1980’s), and Cybernetic Culture Research Unit (1990’s/2000’s).
Something to Keep in Mind
Coventry Biennial is an arts festival that first began in 2017. It’ll be the city’s third festival and getting involved with the cultural event is so likely to work to your advantage. The submission deadline is 6 April, shortlisted interviewees will be contacted on 8 April, and 12 April will involve interviews produced via Zoom.
Disabled artist Jazz Moreton was commissioned with the residency in 2019. Since then, he’s expressed gratitude after developing much more professionalism as a visual artist. Alongside his commission, he was offered mentoring, and has since moved on to provide work for the BBC.
If you’re a visual artist who lives in Coventry or a location not far away in the middle of England, then you may wish to consider applying for this role. And, if you’re not, then you should possibly make note of what they’re due to offer! I’ll be hungry for as many arts as possible all around the UK when we’re free from the pandemic. By October I’ll definitely be curious to find out what the commissioned artist has conjured up with their project. I also see myself taking a trip to Coventry for peep at what’s on show.
If you’d like to learn more about the Coventry Biennial arts festival you can always just take a look at their website.
Disability Arts Online & Graeae present the Disability And…Podcast
When?
It’s available now.
Price?
Free with subscriptions to services and on various other websites.
What does it involve?
Disability Arts Online, the leading publication for disability arts, is joining forces with Graeae to deliver The Disability And…Podcast. There are a wide variety of Podcasts to choose from, although the latest talk show made by Disability Arts Online & Graeae is available now within their 22nd episode.
The Disability And…Podcast promises to get right to the heart of some of the most pressing issues in arts, culture and beyond with a series of bold, provocative and insightful interviews with disabled artists, and key industry figures. This month editor of Disability Arts Online Colin Hambrook talks with writer and performance poet, Allan Sutherland. They speak about the launch of ‘Electric Bodies’ – a collection of poems based on the lives of eight disabled artists. The Podcast contains some strong language.
Available from Spotify and many other services, if you search for the Podcast it should appear online. However, d/Deaf people also have the opportunity to read a transcript on Graeae’s website, where there’s also a list of services that provide the Podcasts available.
Ensemble: Certificate of Higher Education in Theatre Making and Leadership
What’s the deadline for applications?
1 July 2021
What does is involve?
Established in 2015, the Graeae Ensemble was created to deliver a monumental alternative to traditional drama training. Deaf and disabled people obviously deserve to exploit their talent as much as anyone else. It wants talented disabled and deaf individuals to thrive in the UK’s theatre industry, both on and off the stage, and this course hopefully provides them with this opportunity.
Graeae’s Ensemble Cert HE Course in Theatre Making and Leadership is a level four course in creative partnership with Rose Bruford College, as well as the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, LAMDA and RADA. By taking it on, you’ll develop skills in acting, performance and accessible theatre production.
Disabled people proudly lead Rose Bruford College, with highly skilled practitioners and visionary artists delivering the course. Mentors who support the college work in theatre, television, film and radio.
You can find out more about the course on the Rose Bruford College website or the Graeae website. If you’d prefer, there’s also a downloadable brochure to look at if you wish to as well. The course lasts for eight months and will begin in September 2021.
Rachel Bagshaw & China Plate present Where I Go (When I Can’t Be Where I Am), Online
When?
Showing until 18 June 2021
Price?
Free
What does it involve?
Conceived and directed by Rachel Bagshaw, written by Chris Thorpe and produced by China Plate, Where I Go (When I Can’t Be Where I Am) is a powerful and intimate insight into the isolation of living with a rare, synaesthetic chronic pain condition.
The short film has been adapted from and created by the team behind the multi award-winning, and critically-acclaimed theatre show The Shape of the Pain. Filmed in isolation, the show involves an exquisite performance by actress Hannah McPake. As well as that, the sounds created are important too, and excellent composition and sound design is provided by Melanie Wilson.
Using headphones when viewing will be beneficial; it’ll offer the full effect of the sound world. Integrated audio description and subtitles are also included to provide access for all.
This short film is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. It was supported by BBC Arts, Arts Council England, The Space and Battersea Arts Centre and screened as part of the BBC’s Culture in Quarantine series – Filmed in Lockdown.
Who’s in the Zoom? Crip Practice & Belonging: Wishes for an Inclusive Recovery
When?
4:00 pm to 5:30 pm, 29 March 2021
Price?
Free
What does it involve?
This is an online event, and as a webinar, is a part of the Who’s in the Zoom series. Crip Practice & Belonging will take place via Zoom, with B.S.L. & live captioning also available.
Raquel Meseguer Zafe is hosting the webinar. She also holds an artistic background, and is a practitioner based in the UK whose work straddles theatre, dance, installation, performative conversations and photo-documentary. She identifies as disabled and works with rest and horizontality as creative impulses. Back in 2016, Raquel founded Unchartered Collective, with its aim focused on creating theatrical encounters exploring the lived experiences of invisible disabilities.
In the webinar, Raquel will discuss her recent research called Crip Tech & Belonging. This work explores how we go beyond standard access to create a sense of belonging in public places. As well as that, she’ll tell us about her efforts to create a Resting Spaces Network, her wishes for an inclusive recovery in the arts, and consider how we might assemble conversations with local arts organisations and venues to move into better spaces.
#WeShallNotBeRemovedarts alliance has played a prominent role in producing the Who’s in the Zoom series. If this sounds interesting to you, you can book your free space to view the event via Eventbrite. There are only 90 spaces available though, so I’d reserve your place as soon as possible.
And That’s This Week; But, Before You Go…
I want to say sorry the first interview wasn’t available on Monday! The Disability Issue is up and running, but a few issues with transitioning have led to delays regarding interviews. However, if you subscribe to the blog you’ll know for sure whenever anything new is available and can follow a pathway to the website whenever you wish.
Information about various artistic events and opportunities are also advertised regularly on The Disability Issue’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Keep an eye on what’s posted to pick up any new, interesting disability arts-related content.
Thanks for reading; speak to you soon.
