[SINGAPORE] Non-profit organisation Art:Dis will host the sixth edition of its Arts and Disability Forum from Mar 25 to 29, to advocate for inclusion and accessibility in the arts sector – and this year, the forum is taking a regional approach by including artists and partners in Asia.
With support from the National Arts Council, the forum is gathering more than 450 individuals from Asia from the fields of disability, community engagement, culture, diversity, equity and inclusion, policy and academia.
Through plenary talks and workshops, participants at the event are exploring topics such as inclusive culture programming, disability arts as a field of practice, and the professional practice development of artists with disabilities.
The workshops taking place across Singapore are either free or cost S$20. Participants can expect to learn about accessible elements in art, designing inclusive exhibitions and puppetry as a form of expression.
In an interview with The Business Times, Art:Dis executive director Angela Tan said while disability arts has generally been influenced by Western models of practice, there is growing interest in Asian approaches, which tend to be more community-focused.
The panels on Tuesday, for example, homed in on how inclusivity can be made less complicated to improve access to the arts, and artists with disabilities spoke about their lived experiences of encountering barriers in the creative sector.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Friday, 2 pm
Lifestyle
Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.
The panellists included actor and artist-educator Claire Teo, who has a visual impairment; deaf choreographer and founder of China-based Accessivation Studio Alice Hu; and artist Sukri Budi Dharma, founder of Indonesia’s Jogja Disability Arts.
Art:Dis’ Tan said: “To create meaningful impact in the inclusion and accessibility space, we must adopt multi-sectoral approaches and partnerships. This requires us to think deeply about inclusion not just as a goal, but as an ongoing and intentional form of practice.”
She emphasised the importance of accessibility and showcasing diverse voices in the arts: “Accessibility is often treated as a buzzword, but it’s important to move beyond a charitable lens and approach it through the lens of equity. Everyone should have equal access not only to participate in the arts, but also to pursue a professional artistic career.
“Ultimately, it’s about building a more inclusive arts ecosystem – one that not only provides access to culture programming, but one that supports diverse voices and lived experiences to be seen, heard and valued at every level.”
Of the recent “genuine interest in commitment” from the community in making the arts more inclusive, she noted higher participation from designers and corporate representatives in the arts and disability sectors, and growing interest from commercial and corporate sectors to engage further with disability inclusion.
“That said, our next big step as a cultural sector is to create more opportunities for disabled artists to collaborate and be presented meaningfully within mainstream platforms and productions.
“This will take time, but we will get there,” she noted.
