Photo of Allan Sutherland
Allan Sutherland and Colin Hambrook will examine the origins, development and future of the Disability Arts community. In common with other ‘identity politics’ movements within the arts in the 1970s and ’80s, this community originally formed to resist exclusion and fight discrimination.
At present, the evident contributions of this community (in terms of its role is supporting disabled artists via online resources and funding streams, for example) are being increasingly problematised by the sense of limitation or confinement that has come to be associated with issue-led, identity-driven arts practice.
This research will examine the tensions within the disability arts community, looking at how the difficulties manifest through a series of conversations about labels and affiliation, loyalty, professionalism and credibility.
The project will explore these developments, debate the future of this community, and express its narratives through poetry. Outputs will include poems, performances and animation.
