Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697751036423.pdf (Ireland)
Emilie Conway Opening Statement May 24, 2023 Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you all today.

DADA, Disabled Artists, Disabled Academics grew out of necessity due to the lack of representation of our voices and our experiences as disabled artists.
it’s a grassroots, voluntary disability led movement - unfunded, with the mission to achieve greater equity for disabled artists by challenging and offering solutions to the barriers to our full integration, participation and contribution to the arts, culture and education, in particular; and by extension; the economy and whole of society inline with the UNCRPD.
This is for the most part a summary of our submission January, 27: DADA Disabled Artists, Disabled Academics Submission development of local and community arts Amended A.

Barriers 1.

The physical/psychological/sensory/emotional/energetic/intellectual limitations of disabilities which reduce earning power, productivity and the kinds of work we can do competitively.

2.

Attitudinal i.e.

Ableism: stereotypes and assumptions non-disabled people make about disability, capability, potential.

3.
3.

Physical/Environmental: the inaccessibility of many cultural spaces.

many wonderful things happen in the Arts up creaking, winding stair cases, completely inaccessible for wheelchair users.

And these kind of haphazard incubator spaces matter hugely for artistic development.

Physical/environmental also refers to transport, safety, and lack of accessible formats.

4.

Systemic: Social Protection entitlement to disability supports is based on being and staying on no to extremely low income - i.e.
means, not disability needs.

Where a disabled artist is assessed as earning over 165E a week, even when this comes from winning an Arts Council award, they are subject to a harrowing review by Social Protection and disability supports are lost or reduced.

Let’s not forget that in order to succeed in self-employment in the Arts, you need not only be competitively talented, you must also be competitively healthy, where we can compete on talent, we cannot compete on health.
And so under this system, the entire cost of disability & reduced earning power must absorbed by the self-employed disabled artist.

With an annual additional cost of €8,700 to €12,300 according to INDECON Cost of Disability report, this is unaffordable and too medically unsafe for most.
What we need is full implementation of the UNCRPD Article 30 which would see disabled artists supported and the playing field levelled, rather than being systemically and systematically thwarted in our self-determination for daring to develop our talents.

Needless to say, if we get it right for disabled artists, we’ll get it right for older artists and audiences.

B.
B.

To implement UNCRPD we come to recommendations: “Disabled people are everywhere, a concern of every Department.” - Isolde O’Brolchain Carmody 1.

Disabled people need to be integrated at the core of dismantling these barriers: Emilie Conway’s a model for Integration: RDS ● Representation of disabled artists/arts workers ● Documentation of what’s working, what isn't to build a repository of resources.

● Support: Having a disability is a full time job.


Having a disability in a country and society where the Rights of Disabled Persons are not realised forces many disabled people to become advocates or whistle blowers.

This is also a full-time job, and not one freely chosen.

And so, we need additional practical support to reflect and respect the imposition of this additional role.

2.

Taskforces work.


And so we are calling on the Joint Committee to call on the Dept of TCAGSM to establish a Taskforce consistent with the RDS model above, of disabled artists and arts workers.

A taskforce would ensure a structure of sustained and consistent engagement with the Dept of TCAGSM for a thorough-going, systematic dismantling of the barriers outlined in this submission.
There is a concerning lack of representation of our voices and the barriers us disabled artists face as much as there is an absence of any rigorous structure of consistent sustained engagement to make progress on the issues we’ve been raising.

For example 1.

This department has no Disability Consultative Committee which is meant to work with the Disability Stakeholder’s group.
It’s hard to see how the Department of Arts and Culture plan to play their part in implementing the NDIS without this consultation and oversight.

Or indeed, by extension, how they plan to implement Article 30 of the UNCRPD by 2023 or indeed the European Disability Strategy.

Evidence of this consultation omission is in successive policy initiatives which do not benefit disabled artists: 2.

PUP scheme was not accessible to any disabled artists in receipt of DA.

We all suffered during the pandemic.


All artists suffer for their art.

Disabled artists suffer more.

And we suffered more again during the pandemic.

With most disabled artists ineligible for PUP, we also saw our medical supports cut.

I experienced that myself.

3.

BIA: No disabled artists or arts workers were included in personal of The Taskforce created by the Minister and its oversight group that recommended the BIA.
Yet another scheme created without input from disabled artists which will, yet again, advantage non-disabled artists over disabled artists.

As if we needed the gap to widen even more!

4.

Yet another Taskforce was established for the Night Time Economy which reported in September 2021.

And yes, you’ve guessed it - no disability representation.

Oh and this Taskforce activated Sub-groups - but no disability there either!

I’m beginning to wonder if we’re invisible.

Am I visible?

3.
Am I visible?

3.

We are also calling for the exploration and introduction of Emilie’s model of Graded System of Access Declaration for venues and arts centres, similar to the way restaurants win Michelin stars.

This would allow both disabled audiences and disabled artists to make informed decisions that would keep them safe and know that their accessibility needs could be met - or not.

This kind of system would also act as an incentive for venues to up their accessible game.

4.
4.

Make the process and structure of applying for arts funding responsive to the real access needs of disabled artists and arts workers.

For example a rolling deadline of a fund for disabled artists which accepts a variety of application formats, video, interview voice memo etc.

And that a provision be made in Social Protection that excludes Arts Council awards, bursaries etc from means assessment similar to that for recipients of PHD scholarship in academia.

5.
5.

When disabled artists accept work, grants, awards and grow, Social Protection takes away disability supports thus handing over the full cost and impact of our disabilities to be born by us.

As long as this injustice persists we’re calling for Disabled Artists fund - to fund things we need for our disability.

This fund would also support us when, due to our illnesses, we have to cancel or turn down work.

6.

Based on the seriousness and weight of evidence here.
we’re asking this Joint Committee to consistently make the case to Government for changes to dismantle the barriers that disabled artists face.

The ongoing existence of these barriers excludes disabled artists and audiences and contravenes Article 30 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

This work must be done in through rigorously structured, close and consistent consultancy with the Task force of Disabled Artists and Arts Workers.

Let’s work together.


Mise Raifteirí, an file, lán dóchais is grá le súile gan solas, ciúineas gan crá Dul siar ar m'aistear, le solas mo chroí Fann agus tuirseach, go deireadh mo shlí Féach anois mé mo dhroim le balla, Ag seinm ceoil do phocaí folamh.

Looking to the past, art depended on patronage.

Would we have James Joyce if Harriet Weaver hadn’t paid for his eye operations?

How can the State, the Department of TCAGSM treat talented disabled artists this way ?
We are now calling to be listened to, and heard with respect and dignity, for changes to be made in our life time when so many before us have gone without their needs being met or heard.” - K O’Leary, Disabled Artist