London Arts is part of the arts funding system in England, currently undergoing a major restructure. Whether this means we will all have the same view of how to fund the arts, remains to be seen. The Dancing Differently conference provided an ideal opportunity to identify the changes we need and present them as a unified voice. So, let's be optimistic and hope that we can take advantage of the changes ahead of us.
Currently all regional funding policies are inevitably informed by the national context. However, when it comes to how these policies are implemented, it has been very much the decision of each Regional Arts Board (RAB) as to how it distributes the millions of pounds allocated to it by the Arts Council of England. The way in which each RAB develops and implements its policies may be quite individual.
For the purpose of this article, I am writing as someone working for one of the RABs, London Arts. I think the reason I have been asked to write this piece is that we have very recently published our Disability Action Plan. This was launched at Sadler's Wells Theatre in November 2001. It has been very well received, both within the arts funding system and outside, by organisations we fund, as well as disabled arts practitioners.
So where we are now? During the last ten years the number of dance companies involving disabled people has certainly increased. There are now 22 professional dance companies, which are either integrated or consisting of disabled dancers only, and about 10 - 15 freelance choreographers/artists (both disabled and non-disabled) working specifically in this field. Not only have some of these companies grown in size and profile, but they are also now making and touring work semi-professionally and professionally, as opposed to simply undertaking workshop-based work.
However, Candoco is still the only company which is core-funded by ACE. Very few others are regularly funded by any of the RABs, one of the exceptions being Blue Eyed Soul in the West Midlands. CandoCo has a high profile and there are certainly other groups with disabled dancers performing in different parts of the country, such as Anjali (Oxfordshire), Dodeka (Manchester), Salamanda Tandem (Nottingham), StopGAP (Woking) and Company Pyke (London), to name a few.
London Arts also supports key organisations, for example East London Dance and The Place, that develop projects involving disabled dancers, such as Flower Eyes, a dance project with visually-impaired performers, presented at Sadler's Wells, with Japanese choreographer Saburo Teshigawara.
But, in general, what is the overall picture? 15% of the population is disabled - so, if disabled people were truly represented everywhere, we would expect disabled people to make up 15% of every audience, 15% of every dance company, 15% of choreographers, and so on. However, this clearly isn't the case. It is still unusual to see large numbers of disabled people in the audience at dance events, and even more rare to see disabled dancers on stage.
So how is the arts funding system responding to this situation? In the summer of 2000, London Arts began a consultation exercise, into which many arts organisations and disabled people fed their views about the future for disabled people and the arts. From this we developed a 'Disability Action Plan' which we are now implementing. London Arts, both on its own and in partnership with others, aims:
- to invest in arts activity based on quality and innovation and developing new audiences
- to encourage new genres and styles of work and young talent
- to increase access to the arts for those who have been excluded
- to reflect the diversity of the city in staffing, policies and practice.
In fact these aims can only be achieved when disabled people have the opportunity to access dance at all levels, as practitioners, audience, and managers.
So why should we support disabled people's dance?
because it is innovative and has huge potential to attract and develop new audiences
disabled dancers can push the boundaries of what we traditionally expect to see
also, because disabled people have been excluded in the past.
If all the funding bodies share these views, then things are looking good for the future of dance and disability. The question is how do we, as a funding system, make it happen?
Funding bodies are extremely well placed to bring about change because we can ensure that organisations we support address certain issues. London Arts is proposing that every organisation we fund creates their own Disability Action Plan and that future funding will be dependent on progress in this area.
These are the areas that each of our fixed-term funded organisations will need to address:
- access to venues, premises, services, events, activities and information
- programming work by disabled artists and performers
- employment and training opportunities
- involvement in decision-making and advisory bodies.
The reason behind this is that we need a multi-faceted approach. Although we recognise that progress will not be made in all these areas at the same time and with the same degree of success, tackling just one or two issues will not change any organisation's general approach to disability issues.
Securing equal access to any art form requires a holistic approach. This is why we believe that every arts organisation needs to review every aspect of its work. They need to train and employ, consult with, create with, and involve disabled people at every level. This approach will mean that in the longer term the arts sector will benefit fully from disabled people's experience, skills and creativity. Until organisations look at their attitudes towards disabled people from a holistic perspective, the disabled dancer will continue to encounter barriers and the majority will not make it.
As funding bodies we need to take responsibility for where we are now.
We need to recognise disabled people's history of exclusion. This is reflected in the Arts Council of England's framework for addressing social exclusion that has three long term objectives, which are:
- valuing and supporting organisations and individuals who work within a community setting, promoting inclusion and equality of opportunity
- building capacity by supporting or creating infrastructures which can develop and sustain cultural opportunities for excluded groups
- working in partnership advocating the value of the arts to other partners, and unlocking resources from non-arts sectors.
As funding bodies, our role is to operate strategically. So, what is our response? What are the priorities?
The Arts Council of England is developing a range of strategic initiatives which aim to create more opportunities nationally for disabled people in dance. These will help to develop the infrastructure and, a very important point, are artist-led. They include:
- setting up a Dance & Disability Working Group, to encourage the sector to input into policy and development initiatives
- a mapping research exercise to identify training opportunities nationwide
- venue-focused initiatives, to develop programming and audiences
- training days for assessors of integrated and disabled-only dance
- Producers Award scheme (one will focus on Dance and Disability)
- benefits system guidance document.
I have already outlined London Arts plans to work with our regularly funded organisations to develop their own Disability Action Plans.
As well as aiming to make all our funding programmes and procedures as accessible as possible, what other specific measures is LAs taking to ensure disabled people can access dance, as performers, participants and audiences?
How are we moving ahead now? Here are some examples:
- a seminar series called 'Disabled People and the Arts' (for the organisations we fund)
- Innovate (a funding programme to support disabled artists)
- professional development bursaries (which would include dance)
- Regional Arts Lottery Programme priorities (to increase access and participation)
- 'Shifting Aesthetics' conference (to look at increasing access to performing arts courses in Further and Higher Ed).
The approach that the Arts Council of England and all the RABs take is crucial, in terms of leading and creating a climate in which disabled people's involvement in dance can flourish. We very much need targeted positive action initiatives.
What are going to be the key issues for us to address, in terms of increasing disabled people's involvement in dance and supporting the development of talented disabled performers? Firstly shifts in programming are crucial. It is still surprising to see disabled dancers profiled in publicity materials for major arts venues.
It is interesting to note a point made in the Department Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) Action Plan for Disabled People: (1)
'Disabled People must be visible in society for attitudes to change: Sponsors should appreciate that audiences are receptive to seeing disabled people - most people know someone who has a disability.'
In general we are still not used to seeing people 'dancing differently'. And yet, there are audiences interested in this work. If CandoCo can attract large audiences, why not other disabled people's dance companies?
Ten years ago a 'Theatre & Disability' conference took place in Manchester, looking at the same issues that have been addressed at the Dancing Differently conference. And now, ten years later, theatre companies such as Graeae and Strathcona attract audiences throughout the country. And, Heart 'n Soul, the music/theatre company of learning disabled performers, has a phenomenal following. It is a fact that both disabled and non-disabled people want to see disabled people on stage.
It is encouraging to know that some dance companies of disabled people are now receiving funding through the Arts Council's National Touring Programme, such as Anjali and High Spin. Companies need to be funded to do projects that develop over a year or so, as a way of providing greater opportunities for sustaining the work.
The interest is there and venues need to programme the work. The funding system is supporting the development of audiences through the New Audiences programme. For example, London Arts is supporting Candoco, Graeae, Strathcona and Heart 'n Soul to take their work into new venues. It is hoped that this will help to increase their profile and also build relationships with venues in London they have not performed in before. A marketing strategy will also be developed to attract more people to come and see the shows.
It is encouraging that the Arts Council is interested in developing the touring circuits for disability arts work, following the Knocking on Doors research report . We can be confident that the Action Plan based on the recommendations in the report is certainly going to encourage more touring of work and therefore more exposure of work by disabled dancers.
London venues like Jackson's Lane and Sadler's Wells theatre are accessible to both artists and audiences and, by programming dance by disabled people, they will introduce people to new work. With the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) requirements in 2004 to make venues accessible, we hope to see more venues welcoming artists to create and show this work.
Another key issue which needs further debate is that of quality. Funding bodies want to support high quality work so we need to ensure that what disabled people are producing is professional. Disabled people's dance companies must not be perceived as being amateurish.
We must have high standards at every step of the way. There are pockets of good practice around the country but not enough. Whereas some disabled people may be introduced to dance in non-artistic environments, such as day centres, the routes of progression for development are vital. Every stage needs to be artist-led. We need accessible training opportunities. For companies that are building their profile, we need to ensure that the settings they perform in are comparable to where non-disabled dancers can be found. Marketing always needs to be professional and we need to be clear about where the work is coming from. Setting the context is crucial - if a company is still developing, make this clear and chose appropriate locations in which to perform. Who is choreographing work by disabled dancers? Are their levels of skill and experience equivalent to the support and direction offered for non-disabled dancers?
In order to achieve this, the funding system will simultaneously need to support research and development so that we can ensure that new good quality work is created. Disabled dancers should have these opportunities.
Funding bodies cannot bring about the necessary changes on their own, but what we can do is increase awareness of the issues, offer support and advice, encourage partnerships, and provide funding for strategic projects. The impact of what we do needs to filter outwards. Everyone in the arts sector needs to come on this journey. We need training organisations on board, we need venues to increase their access in the broadest sense, and programmers need to believe in the potential of disabled dancers.
We are in a positive, creative phase but it will take some years for us to see the results of this. The key thing we need to remember is that diversity is vital in broadening and enriching the current boundaries of arts practice.
Sian Williams, disability arts development officer for London Arts. Email: sian.williams@lonab.co.uk
Please note:
This article is based on a presentation given at the 'Dancing Differently' conference in February 2002. On 1 April 2002 London Arts joined with the other regional arts boards and the Arts Council of England to create a new, single arts funding and development organisation.
(1) DCMS 'Building on PAT 10: Progress Report on Social Inclusion' published in February 2001.