Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
What was it?
Leading the Way was a partnership between North West Disability Arts Forum and Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
- We trained disabled and deaf arts practioners from any discipline such as performance artists, writers and visual artists in the skills to become an arts workshop leader.
- The course was higher education accredited as a Certificate of Professional Development from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU).
- Students learnt workshop skills and how to apply this to their practice. They also learnt Disability and Deaf equality and the Social Model of disability to ensure inclusive practice in their workshops.
- The access needs of students were met as fully as technology and personnel allowed. We made changes to application, teaching and assessment practices to ensure disabled and deaf people were not disadvantaged.
- Leading the Way was also open to non disabled people who chose to study in an inclusive setting and wanted to learn about inclusive practice in community arts.
Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA)
Two key people from LIPA were vital to the success of the Leading the Way course from 1998 – 2003.
- Nick Owen head of Community Arts accredited the course with John Moores University using a course outline we provided. Nick listened to all our concerns and his passion and enthusiasm ensured all teething problems were solved. Nick worked flexibly and happily accepted changes in the application, teaching, assessment and placement processes to meet the access needs of disabled artists.
- Roger Hill taught workshop skills as the key component of the course. Roger is a long standing community artist and he embraced changes in his teaching style such as one person speaking at a time and using the radio microphone linked to the loop system to meet the needs of deaf students.
- Students joked that “Roger is god.” If he is a god we are his disciples. Doing what disciples have done for thousands of years – distorting and perverting the purity of his message!
Why did we do it?
- NWDAF wanted to prioritise the employment of disabled and deaf arts workshop leaders to run projects with disabled and deaf groups.
- We wanted more opportunities and more chances of a career for our community of disabled and deaf people in the arts.
- Disabled and deaf artists would act as role models for younger and less experienced disabled and deaf people and show them there is a future and a career in the arts.
- Through working with LIPA and LJMU we hoped to influence the arts training establishment to accept the access needs of disabled and deaf people.
- Through accepting non disabled people we were effectively demonstrating to them inclusive practice for disabled and deaf people in community arts settings.
What was the result?
- Disabled and D/deaf arts practitioners experienced a truly equal learning environment. Often for the first time in their lives.
- Over 6 years approximately 66 disabled or Deaf people successfully trained as arts workshop leaders.
- We trained visual artists, performance artists and writers who successfully led community arts workshops.
- Students learned on placement with a whole range of arts organisations across the country including Tate Liverpool, Bluecoat, Horse and Bamboo Theatre, English Touring Theatre and community settings such as primary schools.
- Arts and Cultural organisations who took students on placement learnt more about disabled people, culture and access.
- Trainees from Leading the Way went on to develop their own projects such as performance group Nasty Girls and a Leading the Way inspired course for disabled artists in Shropshire named The Way Ahead.
- Trainees from Leading the Way went on to train and perform professionally with other organisations such as Graeae Theatre Company.