A manifesto of sorts
In the last practice sharing session I led for Imaginate, one of the artists encouraged me to write a plan for the future, a list of the things I’d like to see happen, a Manifesto of sorts. Below is an outline of the world I want to live in.
I want to live in a world where:
– EVERY disabled child receives their creative entitlement
– children have a chance to see bodies like theirs on stage and screen
– work made for young people, from babies to teenagers, is seen as valued and valuable
– we employ positive action until we redress the massive imbalance that currently exists
– Young disabled people can receive the education they are entitled to that pushes them and allows them to thrive from nursery to PhD
– Where the ‘value added’ that disabled people bring is acknowledged rather than using a deficient model
– People are aware and acknowledge their unconscious bias towards people outside of their ‘inner circle’
– The innovation, lateral thinking and organisational skills utilised and generated by disabled people is acknowledged
– I can be spontaneous and have just as much choice as everybody else
– I can take risks – artistically and in general
– EVERYONE feels valued and valuable
– We’re more interested in what makes us individual than the same
– I can Google disabled leaders and not be faced with a barrage of inspiration porn
– We talk about access NOT a diagnosis
– Access is viewed as an artistic opportunity NOT an after thought
– I make art