DaDaFest
DaDaFest is a disability arts organisation based in Liverpool, UK. It delivers an international, biennial festival and organises other events to promote disability and deaf arts from a variety of cultural perspectives. Alongside the festival and events, DaDaFest organises opportunities for disabled and deaf people to gain access to the arts. This includes training and a youth focused programme. DaDaFest is funded by Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council as well as other private and public sector partners. History. DaDaFest was founded as "Arts Integrated Merseyside" (or AIM) as a part of the Shape Arts network in 1984 . AIM was integral to the early campaign for greater equality and access for disabled people, but was not disability led. With John McGrath as its Development Officer, the organisation became one of the UK's first disability control-led arts forums after it broke away from the Shape Network and set itself up as "North West Disability Arts Forum" (NWDAF) in 1986. It was formally constituted in 1990, with Mandy Colleran becoming its director. The organisation eventually re-branded itself to 'DaDa - Disability and Deaf Arts' in 2008 and again to 'DaDaFest' in 2012. Festival. DaDaFest delivered its first international  festival in 2001 and continued to put on yearly festivals until 2010 when it became a biennial. The festival has since taken place in 2012 and 2014 (8 November 2014 – 11 January 2015). The next DaDaFest International festival will take place from 18 November to 3 December 2016. The organisation works with a number of partners to deliver the festival. These include: National Museums Liverpool, Liverpool Biennial, The Bluecoat, Liverpool Everyman, Liverpool Playhouse, FACT, Unity Theatre and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic amongst others. 2016 Festival. DaDaFest International 2014 presented high quality and exciting work produced by artists close to their home  in Liverpool as well as internationally that will challenge ideals and celebrate disability culture. An exciting programme of music, dance, live arts, comedy and much more was presented." Highlights included: 2014 Festival. DaDaFest International 2014 presented a "breathtaking array of high quality disability and Deaf arts from around the world." Highlights included: 2012 Festival. The 2012 festival brought together a large collection of exhibitions and performances. These included: 2010 Festival. In 2010, DaDaFest celebrated their tenth year. The 2010 programme explored the theme of Objects of Curiosity and Desire, investigating identity and our place in an ever-changing world. Highlights  included: Projects & Initiatives. While the festival every two years may be the main attention of the organisation, DaDaFest also organises various projects and initiatives outside of the festival programme. Projects that DaDaFest has organised or is currently organising are: