DADA: Disabled Artists & Disabled Academics
Campaign for Human & Cultural Rights

Emilie is a founding artist of a new movement, the DADA Campaign for Human and Cultural Rights. Emilie was prompted to become more vocal on the rights of people with disabilities from her own experiences, heightened by the relative absence of disabled peoples’ voice throughout the pandemic, compounded yet again, as the society opens up. DADA stands for Disabled Artists & Disabled Academics attesting to the coterie Emilie’s “speaking up” attracted to her over the past year. DADA’s mission is to achieve greater equity for disabled people by pointing out and challenging barriers to full participate and contribution to the arts, culture, economy and whole of society. DADA aims to achieve this through creation of art that builds public awareness, engaging with media, and building transformative relationships with Arts and Cultural Institutions and Government, see media, for more equitable policy and practice in line with UNCRPD.

If you would like to get involved please email dadacampaign@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter: @DADACampaign

December 7, Scrap the Green Paper on Disability Reform
Report by RTE

 
 

Read the RTE report on #ScrapTheGreenPaper by Ailbhe Conneely here: Disability payment reform will create 'tiered system'
Watch the full news including this segment here

Artists with Disabilities: Rights, Work & Welfare
Research briefing and policy consultation on proposed Disability reforms

In December the Arts Council held a briefing and consultation around the proposed Green Paper. DADA founder, Emilie Conway was a panelist. Please see the Arts Council webpage here for more info. Please watch videos of the event below.

Panel Discussion: Emilie Conway, Caroline Loughman and Pádraig Naughton, moderated by Andrew Clancy.

The Arts Council’s proposed approach to responding to the Green Paper: Toby Dennett, Arts Council Strategic Development Manager.

Welcome Address: Maureen Kennelly, Arts Council Director.

 
 
 

The Creative Europe Desk Ireland (MEDIA and Culture Offices) will host an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion event called Bridging the Gap - Access and Inclusion to the Arts at the Royal Hibernian Academy Dublin on Tuesday 7th November.

DADA founder, Emilie Conway was delighted to be invited as part of an advisory panel for the design, creation and articulation of this event. In this role, she was delighted to bring in many other disabled artists, artworker and disabled access consultants whose contribution made this event widely accessible event with a great response in attendamce by disabled artists all over the country.

2023 Autumn Newsletter

Good morning colleague disabled artists/artsworkers and allies,

I hope you all had a restful summer and are re-charged for the Autumn.  I always feel it's like a mini-new year so it feels like another chance to take stock and do some re-designing for the months ahead.

In view of that, here are DADA and your activities in the year to date as we move into Autumn. Now this is not everyone and everything - it's just what I could manage today - so sorry if I omitted you.  The point is, we're achieving and we've achieved a lot.  Thank you all for your support, solidarity, advocacy and activism.   Speaking up and speaking out can feel lonely, but you're not on your own.  We're all grateful and with you/!

And, as you see, I'm addressing this email also to our allies, who amplify, advocate for and so support our work. Thank you for your allyship. 

Oireachtas submissions and presentations 

Self Employment and Entrepreneurship for People with Disabilities: July

DADA made a submission on Self Employment and Entrepreneurship for People with Disabilities to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters in July, please find it attached. I believe it is published online by the Oireachtas but I've spent a while looking and I can't find it right now. If anyone spots it, please let me know!

Eddie Hennnessy of Eddie Hennessy Photography made a powerful presentation on this subject from his living experience along with Prof. Tom Cooney and others.   Prof Cooney has been a great ally and relentless advocate for change around self-employment which particularly affects us artists. 

Info here 
Watch video here

The Development of Local and Community Arts (Arts and Disability, Health and Older People): January and May

We made a submission in January on this subject, please find it attached. This submission is published online somewhere by the Oireachtas but I can't find it!  Shout if you do! 
Red Keane of Jazz Ireland and I were subsequently invited to present before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media. on May 24.  

Please see info here. 
Watch the video here. 

Group pic of attendees to the First Disabled Stakeholders’ Meeting.

 

Emilie Conway presenting at the First Disabled Stakeholders’ Meeting. #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs

The First Disabled Artists' Stakeholders Meeting in June: Ongoing
We met as you know with the Minister in Sept 2022.  Despite our efforts, the follow up was disappointing.  We reached out to Safe Arts of Ireland, SAOI, under whose umbrella is DADA, for assistance and they advocated powerfully with us on our behalf .  In June we received an invitation to the first Disabled Artists' Stakeholders Meeting.  This meeting was very hopeful. 

  • There was renewed commitment from the Dept and others with ommitments to follow up in September on the many issues raised.  Will keep you posted!

  • The Dept also announced this official info on the interaction between Arts and Disability Ireland arts funding and the entitlement to Disability Supports. See here:  Disability payments and the Arts and Disability Connect fund (citizensinformation.ie) 

  • The Arts Council  announced their new full-time access officer so please make yourself and your needs known!

  • The Night Time Economy announced further consultations for September and their engagement with Attitude is Everything.  At DADA we are aware of Attitude is Everything- they're great!

Social Protection  Pre-Budget Forum.
Thank you to Dorothy Laity who attended on our behalf and made several important connections and observations, including while the Minister was in the room!  We also made a Pre-Budget Submission to the Dept of Social Protection.  Please find attached. 

Safe to Create: ongoing
As you know, DADA made a submission to the Oireachtas last year on A Safe and Respectful Working Environment in the Arts,. Please read here  Many of you contributed to this submission which focused on the impact of an absence of structures and understanding, as well as systemic barriers, that impede disabled artists from working safely and respectfully.  

Our submission was taken seriously and so Safe to Create and the Irish Theatre Institute are now undertaking a second piece of research to explore precisely this. I have been invited to contribute as an advisor.  And, there has been an open call for focus groups online and in person which I know some of you have attended.  There will be more coming up and all your voices are important to contribute to this research as it will ultimately feed into policies and structures to make the work environment in the arts more safe and respectful for disabled artists. 

Night Time Economy: ongoing
In January 2023, The Arts Council hosted the first Night-Time Economy Forum in the National Gallery of Ireland.  The forum’s programme was designed to bring together a range of international, national and local perspectives on emerging trends and initiatives in relation to the development of the arts and the night-time economy. The forum set out to encourage new initiatives and partnerships and new thinking around specific actions to support the role of the arts in creating a vibrant night-time economy.

Emilie Conway and Saoirse Smith presented.  Watch them on the video here. And more info here
We made strong allies at this forum and look forward to follow up in the coming months. 

Art | Disability | Climate Change
Designer of DADA logo the brilliant Tia Vellani presented along with ILMI's Peter Kearns at this very important event. Read more here. Great and crucial that climate justice including disabled people.

Disability Pride and Power July Celebrations and Parade
Huge Congratulations to Maryam Madani and everyone involved with DPI on the trailblazing amazing Disability Pride Month, Our first Disability Pride Parade! DADA was delighted to partner with DPI on holding Dublin's only accessible Karaoke after-party! Read back on all the events here.

Aesthetic Access by Disabled Artists:
I think we're all passionate about this, disability led, aesthetic, participatory access.  I created these things: Solid, Space and Sound at the Ark bringing in blind and disabled children. Multi-sensory tour of Lavinia Fontana at the National Gallery
Multi-sensory drawing day at the National Gallery 

Chronic Collective events
In case you're in Dublin today: Chronic Collective at Project Arts Open DayOpportunity: Deadline Sept 12: Chronic Connections: Networking for sick and disabled artists

Legless in Dublin by Louise Bruton A long-time accessibility campaigner and disability rights activist, award winning journalist, DJ, and writer, Louise Bruton has now turned her observations and info on accessibility into a subscription  based platform.  But it's free for disabled community!   Subscribe here

Writer Brigid O'Dea has several columns in the Irish Times about the issues that affect us.  Read her work online or in print.  Her July article she writes

"The art of disabled artists is as smart, intelligent, challenging, optimistic, irreverent, bold, comforting, hilarious, tasteful and distasteful as that of abled-bodied peers.  Harmonising the Basic Income for Artist Scheme and essential welfare entitlements would bear witness to that." 

Read the full article here: Maud Lewis’s vivid art is no less brilliant for her disability

Writer Aimee Godfrey has published more work.  Follow her on instagram here

DADA supports European Artist Colleague, Evelyne Cynk Campaigning for Right to Travel for Study.

As many of you know, Evelyn Cynk has been campaigning for some time now for the freedom non-disabled people take for granted.  Changing legislation and regulations to support Evelyne's freedom travel to Ireland, retaining the care she needs for her disability and take up her place at her Creative Writing course in UIC, will be a sea-change and a triumph for the rights and freedoms of disabled people.  Evelyne has been campaigning tirelessly and among many of her allies, DADA supports Evelyne whole-heartedly. 

Artists need to be able to travel to grow and share work. 

Disability activist Evelyne Cynk hoping to move to Ireland after accepting place on UCC course

Disability activist 'held hostage' in Germany by refusal of care funding for her emigration to Ireland

Go fund me page: I'm robbed of my European Rights! Please support!

This is a long email now and I'm whacked!  It's not everything - you're all doing so much! But maybe it's enough for now.  Go to DADA instagram for some more photos and videos with huge thanks to  Jenny Harrington.  We'll hold a zoom event in Sept for peeps to catch up!

Kind regards and Happy Autumn to you all !

Emilie, DADA founder

 
 

On Tuesday 17th January 2023, The Arts Council hosted the first Night-Time Economy Forum in the National Gallery of Ireland.

The forum’s programme was designed to bring together a range of international, national and local perspectives on emerging trends and initiatives in relation to the development of the arts and the night-time economy. The forum set out to encourage new initiatives and partnerships and new thinking around specific actions to support the role of the arts in creating a vibrant night-time economy.

Watch Emilie Conway on the second panel from 1:41 and Saoirse Smith from 2:13

More info here.

 
 
 

Click on the video above for the RTE News Report

Click her to read the report by Ailbhe Conneely

Listen back to the full report on Morning Ireland here

Events and Documents

There are click through links on the images below so please click on the image.

DADA has made several presentations in Leinster House throughout 2022.

Here is a clip from DADA founder, Emilie Conway, presenting with MEAI on barriers facing disabled artists. Click here or on the image below to watch the video.

Dada give (First Ever) “Performance Briefing” at Leinster House, June 28

Thanks very much to TD Gary Gannon of the Social Democrats who facilitated DADA artists to give a briefing in the AV room, Leinster House on June 28. We quickly turned this into the first ever performance briefing in which, through our art, we informed members of the government, opposition and staff of the SOLUTIONS to systemic obstacles we face in building a career in the arts, as self-employed with a disability. Saoirse Smith, in the video above represented disabled comedians, Carol Ahern represented emerging disabled artists, I represented musicians and performers and we also had a writer. There was great attendance and we would hope it appetite for progress.…. so we hope this leads to change.

DADA ARTISTS EMILIE CONWAY & ISOLDE O’BROLCHAIN CARMODY PRESENT EVIDENCE TO OIREACHTAS JOINT COMMITTEE ON DISABILITY MATTERS

Click to watch: DADA Presents at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Disability Matters October 7, 2021
Emilie Conway and Isolde O’Brolchain Carmody presented on the Topic: Participation in political, cultural, community and public life. We are very grateful for the opportunity to present the issues to the House and we also acknowledge and appreciate the depth of engagement by the Chair, Senators and TDs.

Irish Times report:Disabled artists ‘punished for success’, Oireachtas committee told
We were delighted that our presentation to the Joint Committee was picked up on by the Irish Times with an article that amplified the issues we raised.

 
 

Reports regarding Artists and Academics Published on Dec 3, 2021, International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Report 'Ableism in Academia: Experiences of Disabled People & Recommendations for the Future' : https://www.tcd.ie/equality/news/#ableismreport .

Time to Act Creative Europe and British Council report on Arts and Disability Access: https://bit.ly/3opj0KS

Irish Govt Publishes the INDECON Cost of Disability Report

Read Report on gov.ie HERE

DISABLED ARTISTS IN PRE-BUDGET PROPOSALS 2021

NCFA Pre-Budget Submission Published September 2021
Delighted to see our work has fed into NCFA’s submission on issue 9: Lack of diversity within the arts as a result of systemic barriers to equal participation in, and contribution to, arts and culture.

Music & Entertainment Association of Ireland Pre-Budget Submission Sept 2021: We are delighted to see MEAI take take on tackling the barriers facing disabled artists with their proposal of a pilot scheme for artists with disabilities under their CORE REQUESTS No. 3.

 
 

March 8 2021.

Happy International Women’s Day!

Disabled Women Ireland call themselves Disabled to be clear that it is society and its ableist strcutures that disable them. Not their disability. This so true. People with disability broadly cone to accept their disability. It’s part of self acceptance. What is not acceptable is the ableist systemic and systematic structures that keep people with disabilities marginalised. All the positivity in the world won’t manifest a ramp where there is none, or change a wheelchair accessible door from the back of the building to the front. Some of these things are just unkind. Others are wrong and a violation of human rights. And we need to raise our voices to challenge and change. #NothingAboutUsWithoutUs #choosetochallenge #UNCRPD