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An arts organisation
based in Norwich aims to promote access and opportunities for disabled
people in Norfolk. Unique to the county, CREATE! is based at the
Vauxhall Centre in Norwich.
Zoë Breen dropped in to CREATE!'s office to find out
what's planned in terms of improving access to arts resources.
Ann Young,
CREATE!'s co-ordinator, stresses that she wants to see 'real'
opportunities for disabled people. This means the provision
of good quality resources which allow disabled artists to compete
on a level playing field with their non-disabled counterparts.
The organisation
also presses for accessible arts venues and Ann hopes that CREATE!
will be able to produce an up-to-date access guide covering
galleries, arts centres, cinemas and theatres.
CREATE!'s
main problem is getting out into the county to identify all
the disabled people with an interest in the arts.
A
membership database is being put together to solve the problem.
Membership is free and can be applied for by post or on CREATE!'s
website. Members receive a free newsletter along with the chance
to contribute to the organisation's development.
Art
by disabled people and disability arts
One
of the most valuable functions of CREATE! for many disabled
people will be access to opportunties in the arts. As well as
having its own small bursaries, CREATE! has information about
training and funding in the wider arts world.
Ann is keen
to develop 'disability art' in the county. Disability art makes
a statement about being disabled. It is political and represents
the culture of a group which historically has faced oppression.
However she is keen to point out that CREATE! supports the artistic
needs of disabled people whether or not they choose to make
a political statement about disability: " not everyone
wants to be a part of it because they may not consider their
disability to be an issue," she said.
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