Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West - Arts Council England

Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
1 Executive summary
2 Introduction
3 National context
4 Process
i Information circulation
ii Questionnaires
iii Local interviews
iv Art Debate at BDA Regional Event
5 Deaf arts in the North West
i Individual Deaf artists
ii Organisations run by Deaf BSL users
iii Organisations that have run projects for Deaf BSL users
6 Findings and analysis
i Questionnaires and interviews
ii BDA Regional event
7 Conclusion and recommendations
i Individual artists
ii Organisations and Groups
iii Recommendations
8 Appendices:
Individual artists and organisations identified through the mapping project
Deaf Centres in the North West of England
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
1. Executive Summary
1.1 Following Arts Council England, North West’s appreciation that Deaf artists
were not well represented within their portfolio, the British Deaf Association
(BDA) was invited to map Deaf arts activity and gain a sense of Deaf arts
and its spectrum, within the region.
1.2 The work is timely as there has been considerable change in the perception
of Deaf British Sign Language (BSL) users within the arts. Deaf artists,
organisations and companies are having better recognition and involvement
in the mainstream. The impact of the Disability Discrimination Act (1995)
and the recognition of BSL have triggered these changes.
1.3 The mapping process included information circulated via email, the
development and dissemination of questionnaires, a series of local
meetings within different locations in the region and a BDA regional event at
the University of Central Lancashire. Over 100 people showed interest in
attending the event and we had 80 people actually turn up. The region has
a population of Deaf BSL users who are involved in the arts at a
participatory level but few have the opportunity to develop their interest
beyond this.
1.4 Drama activity appeared to be the dominant artform, with a number of
projects operating across artforms. Few individual artists were located who
are operating at a professional level.
1.5 This mapping process highlighted four main issues for progression for
individuals:
• lack of access to ‘mainstream’ arts activity
• lack of involvement in the mainstream community for professional Deaf
artists
• lack of sustained involvement with mainstream arts organisations
• not being seen as able artists, in their own right
1.6 The organisations and groups appeared to have similar issues:
• lack of sustainable income
• lack of defined artistic vision
• few staff involved with arts backgrounds
• low fees for staff and lack of training
• limited capacity in accessing potential vehicles for development of skills
• lack of networking opportunities in both the mainstream and within the
Deaf
community
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
1.7 This report culminates in a series of recommendations. In general, it
suggests that Arts Council England, North West:
• makes it clear what and who its funding is for
• leads by example and demonstrates full access to Deaf BSL users in all
internal areas
• advocates to raise the status and perception of Deaf arts at all levels
• ensures that the development of Deaf arts is present within all artform
strategies
1.8 In relation to applications, it is recommended that Arts Council England,
North West looks, in particular, to promote applications which:
• promote talented and skilled Deaf artists and arts workers as role
models
• provide accessible formats which show the direct involvement of Deaf
BSL users themselves within the application, in particular within the
expression of artistic vision
• encourage extended and genuine partnerships between Deaf arts
groups and mainstream arts organisations/professional artists
• support increased networking between Deaf arts individuals, groups and
organisations
1.9 To supply those involved in the mapping process with the key findings,
contacts and information on future projects in BSL and/or plain English in
order to maintain the momentum and keep their trust and willingness to
participate in further developments.
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
2. Introduction
2.1 The British Deaf Association was commissioned to map Deaf arts activity
within the North West in January 2005 for four months. Arts Council
England, North West recognised that Deaf artists were not well represented
within their portfolio and wanted to gain an insight into activity in the area in
order to provide recommendations.
2.2 This report briefly lays out the stages of the mapping process, the data
collected and the findings that can be drawn from their analysis. The report
highlights the national context for this work as well as draw conclusions and
recommendations for Arts Council England, North West to support and
promote.
2.3 The BDA's vision is of a world where Deaf BSL users who use sign
language enjoy the same rights, responsibilities, opportunities and quality of
life as everyone else. Around 250,000 people in the UK use BSL on a daily
basis.
The BDA mission is to build a strong and vibrant community of Deaf BSL
users, pulling together to provide mutual support, equipped with the
confidence and skills to contribute to society as equal citizens.
There are approximately 70,000 Deaf BSL users in the UK, who are part of
the Deaf community, with their own distinctive language and culture. About
250,000 people, both Deaf and hearing, in the UK use BSL as their first or
preferred language.
Ownership of BSL, Deaf Identity, bilingual education and social inclusion
are the key elements of the BDA’s new vision and it is felt that these aims
could be achieved closer to home, closer to the community, to meet each
region’s varying needs.
A new approach to working closer to the Deaf community was by devolving
national remits, having staff involvement and board representatives in each region.
This aims to improve links with local Deaf communities and to develop alliances.
The four aims of the BDA will be the core expansion of each Area Deaf
Association.
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
3. National context
3.1 Over the last few years, there has been considerable change in the
perception of, and therefore the potential for, Deaf BSL users within the
arts. Deaf BSL users are being seen more and more as people who, with
full access to information, can be just as involved in all areas of life as
anyone else. Nationally, there are a number of organisations and groups
that are now run and staffed exclusively by Deaf BSL users.
3.2 Within the arts, a number of national initiatives have been recognised as
providing high quality models, such as Deafinitely Theatre (London), North
West Disability Arts Forum (Merseyside), Common Ground Sign Dance
Theatre (Liverpool), Wolverhampton Film Festival (British Deaf
Association) and Shape (London), which is a small group of Deaf BSL
users within a mainstream organisation. In the recent past, Shape
produced a national magazine, Deaf Arts UK.
3.3 There are a number of Deaf BSL users who are gaining recognition as
artists in their own right. This includes Deaf artist Miles Thomas, fashion
journalist Melissa Mostyn, actors Ilan Dwek, Samuel Dore, Caroline
Parker, Fifi and Paula Garfield, Lisa Mills of HoneyBeeTheatre and
physical theatre performer Ramesh Meyyappan.
3.4 Training, once the most difficult area to gain entry to for Deaf artists, is
slowly becoming more accessible, for example, Ramesh Meyyappan was
fortunate enough to train at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts
(LIPA). At first, he was informed he should attend courses specially
designed for Disabled artists but after campaigning for his right to be
included in the mainstream, he eventually was allowed to attend a
mainstream course.
3.5 There are a number of underlying drivers supporting the growing
emergence of Deaf BSL users in the arts, including:
• the Disability Discrimination Act (1995)
• the recognition of BSL as a community language
3.6 The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) has been empowering for many
Deaf BSL users, helping shift the perception of Deaf BSL users as a group
where individuals’ access is paramount. The DDA offers Deaf people the
opportunity to access all mainstream services in their first and preferred
language, BSL. Service providers wanting to communicate more effectively
with Deaf BSL users are attempting to address communication barriers, as
the only people who can judge the effectiveness of easy English, plain
English and the use of video/CD-Rom/DVD format options are Deaf BSL
users themselves. There has been a significant rise in the numbers of
organisations of Deaf BSL users producing information and tools for
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
improved communication, such as organisations like Remark in Greenwich
and Signpost in Newcastle.
3.7 The recognition of BSL has led to a higher profile of the language as one
that encompasses both Deaf and hearing people through communication.
Deaf BSL users are now being more and more recognised as a linguistic
minority. Art itself is particularly important for deaf people, because as an
oppressed group, it is a tool for expression and thus brings the Deaf
community together and strengthens the development of a positive Deaf
identity and culture.
4. Process
4.1 In order to map Deaf involvement in the arts in the North West, the following
processes were undertaken:
• information circulation via email and post
• development and dissemination of questionnaires
• local interviews with individuals and organisations
• art and culture debate at BDA regional event
4.2 Information circulation
Information about the mapping process was sent to local Deaf BSL users,
all local arts officers, and local arts organisations and through the internet to
encourage involvement in this area of work.
Deaf individuals practising Deaf arts were identified for networking and
professional development opportunities. Organisations delivering or
developing Deaf arts events in the North West were located as part of this
report.
4.3 To locate new organisations or individuals, internet and email research was
undertaken. This included:
• research in mainstream organisations for Deaf inclusion
• publication of both the process and the BSL Recognition - 2 Years
On event via email listings and mailing out flyers/information about
the conference
• emailed North West Disability Arts Forum (NWDAF) to cross
reference information and ensure that we had disseminated
materials to those groups and individuals they were aware of
• email correspondence with national contacts to identify any known
organisations or individuals (Shape, Deafinitely Theatre, etc)
• publication of the programme for the event within the BDA, national
emails and websites, Deaf-UK
• web-based research for arts/Deaf sites/articles within the North West
region
• word of mouth recommendations
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
4.4 Questionnaire
The BDA drafted a questionnaire for individuals and this was
discussed/amended with Arts Council England, North West. The
questionnaire was available at each of the interviews and at the BDA
regional event. This went alongside the data protection form so each
organisation/individual completing a mapping form ensured that their
contact information could be more widely used.
Individuals interviewed used their preferred language, English, sign
supported English (SSE) or British Sign Language (BSL).
4.5 Organisations, groups and individuals were sent questionnaires but a high
number were not returned – there were over 100 questionnaires distributed
and we had 30 returned.
It was found that a majority of Deaf BSL users struggled to complete these
questionnaires, as BSL is the first or preferred language for this particular
group.
To overcome this we, as a sign language organisation, arranged one to one
meetings with both the interviewer and participant being fluent in sign
language. This is a time consuming method of data collection, which
impacted on the number of respondents we were able to include. Three
interviews were conducted. Please see appendices.
We had 30 questionnaires returned and three interviews were conducted.
Of those 33 notes we have, two men were interviewed and 14 men returned
questionnaires.
There were some situations, especially in the wider deaf community, where
some people and groups did not wish to be mapped:
• they did not like forms which were not in their first language
• they did not think that what they do is ‘good enough’ or felt embarrassed
to be included
• they did not feel that their views would be understood or did not
understand the project itself
4.6 Local interviews
Interviews were held with five individual Deaf artists from across the region.
4.7 It was discovered from the interviews with Deaf artists in the North West
that there are barriers to practising as a Deaf artist. The majority of Deaf
artists found their access to the arts limited or nonexistent. There is an
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
identified need for setting up workshops to involve Deaf BSL users in the
arts. Most Deaf artists were able to develop their arts skills at
school/colleges; but the majority of these individuals were not able to
develop their skills further after leaving secondary/tertiary education.
4.8 Art and culture debate at BDA regional event
The ‘BSL Recognition - 2 Years On’ event was held at UCLAN (University
of Central Lancashire) on 19 March 2005. The initial target of 75-100
attendees soon had to be revised as over 100 bookings were placed within
the first two weeks of advertising the event. In total, over 100 people
attended this event and 30 people attended the Arts and Culture debate
attended by two Arts Council England, North West officers and one BDA
staff member.
5. Deaf Arts in the North West
This section lists the organisations and individuals found as a result of the
mapping process.
5.1 Individual Deaf artists are included in the appendices.
5.2 Organisations run by Deaf BSL users
Common Ground Sign Dance Theatre
Address: Common Ground Sign Dance Theatre, 32-36 Hanover Street,
Gostin’s Building (4th Floor), Hanover Street Liverpool L1 4LN
Email: simeon@signdance.com
Phone/Fax: 0151 707 8033
Text phone: 0151 707 8380
Website: www.signdance.com
Organisation’s statement:
In 1986 Common Ground pioneered a style of dance performance, which
integrates Sign Language into choreography, creating a new artform. All our
work is original and organic, strongly rooted in Deaf culture yet fully
accessible to those without any knowledge of Sign Language.
Sign Language, the language of the Deaf community, is a visual, spatial
language taking shape in three dimensions in the air – this becomes the core
of and inspiration for our choreography. We create unique performances
through a fusion of sign language, dance, and physical theatre, or ‘Poetry of
the Body’ (The Guardian).
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
5.3 Organisations which run projects for Deaf BSL users
North West Disability Arts Forum (NWDAF)
A Disabled and Deaf organisation run by and for Disabled and Deaf people.
Address: North West Disability Arts Forum, MPAC Building, 1-27 Bridport
Street, Liverpool L3 5QF
Email: nwdaf@nwdaf.co.uk
Phone: 0151 707 1733
Website: www.nwdaf.co.uk
Organisation’s statement:
We cover all artforms and work with all disabled people.
We aim to facilitate the active participation of Disabled and Deaf BSL users
in all aspects of the arts and creative industries, and both promote and
celebrate Disability and Deaf Arts and Culture. Based in Liverpool City
Centre, we cover Merseyside, Cheshire, and work throughout the U.K. Our
activities include:
• developing Disability and Deaf arts projects
• maintaining a register of Disabled and Deaf artists
• actively promoting Disabled and Deaf artists
• research and development
• supporting other Disabled and Deaf BSL user arts organisations
• offering advice and information
• providing a Disability Action Training service
• acting as an access consultancy
Each year, in November, we run a big festival – DaDaFest.
Bluecoat Arts Centre
Liverpool’s Centre for the contemporary arts.
Address: School Lane, Liverpool L1 3BX
Email: admin@bluecoatartscentre.com
Phone: 0151 709 5297
Website: www.bluecoatartscentre.com
Organisation’s statement:
Through a programme called Connect we give lots of people in Liverpool the
chance to work with artists to create art.
The arts programme for the centre focuses on visual and performing arts by
local, regional, national and international artists. Bluecoat Gallery presents a
year-round exhibition programme, and live music, dance, literature, live art
events and other performances are staged in a 200 capacity auditorium and
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
in Bluecoat's outdoor spaces, as well as other venues and sites around
Liverpool.
The Connect programme is the Bluecoat’s outreach programme, linking to
various communities within Liverpool and beyond. Since the building closed
in 2005 for major refurbishment, the programme concentrates on Connect
projects and artists’ commissions about the development.
Participants in projects have:
• been empowered to make decisions, shape their projects and produce
creative work
• had truly life-changing experiences while exploring their own creativity
with professional artists
• embarked on journeys of personal development and learned new
skills
• done things they never dreamed of doing before - and loved it
• influenced the way Bluecoat presents its main arts programme, for
instance, how we offer interpretation of our art exhibitions
Our approach is different because:
• artists and groups are carefully matched through detailed consultation
to ensure the projects are relevant and appropriate
• projects are allowed to grow organically and relationships are
developed over a long period
• outcomes are not prescribed; instead participants and artists
collaborate on the development of a project
• a wide range of creative activity is available, often combining different
arts practices
Full Circle Arts
Disability arts development agency.
Address: Greenheys Business Centre, 10 Pencroft Way, Manchester M15
6JJ
Email: enquiries@fullcirclearts.co.uk
Fax: 0161 279 7879
Phone: 0161 279 7878
Website: www.full-circle-arts.co.uk
Organisation’s statement:
We work across all artforms, working with all disabled people.
We provide a full information and advocacy service for groups or
organisations that want to arrange their own local Disability Arts projects.
We use our years of experience to help groups raise funds, recruit
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
members and disabled artists/workshop leaders to organise their own
project.
We maintain strong links and work in partnership with other Disability Arts
organisations, arts funding bodies, local authorities and practitioners, locally,
nationally, and internationally. Being regarded as a leader in the field of
Disability Arts practice means we are in a strong position to offer advocacy
and support to anyone interested in Disability Arts throughout the region. We
also support arts venues in audience development and inclusive projects.
We are a Disability Arts development agency who believe, that as Disabled
People, we should determine on our own behalf where and with whom
responsibility for decision-making and advocacy should lie. This is why Full
Circle Arts is accountable to, controlled and managed by Disabled People.
We run a range of projects ourselves including our mentoring programme – a
unique service for disabled people who are interested in arts based training
or employment. Trained and experienced mentors who work professionally in
the arts will help to provide focus, networking opportunities and information.
We have also launched DASA Source – an agency for disabled artists and
groups. DASA Source supports individuals as well as groups, and is an
integral part of Source’s commitment to finding and sustaining opportunities
within the arts for Disabled People, whether as training, employment or
identifying sources of funding.
We have a comprehensive database of disabled artists and Disability Arts
companies, which is used for gaining employment and networking
opportunities with other artists and/or arts companies. We also liaise with
other arts organisations, funders and companies on behalf of any artist in
DASA.
Artists and groups in DASA receive a regular newsletter with all the latest
employment and project opportunities, they also have access to ‘the news’
section on our website, which is updated weekly.
Prism Arts
Arts development in Cumbria.
Address: Unit 1, Brampton Business Centre, Union Lane, Brampton CA8
1BX
Email: office@prismarts.fsnet.co.uk
Phone: office hours: 01697 745011
Organisation’s statement:
Our artforms are dance, drama and visual arts.
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
Prism Arts exists to support and enable excluded groups in Cumbria to
realise their creative potential and celebrate their experience through active
participation in and exploration of the arts. Prism Arts was established in
1987 and became a charitable trust in 1992. Since its inception Prism Arts
has initiated hundreds of projects throughout Cumbria working with a wide
range of groups including disabled people, elders and those with mental
health difficulties. For example some of our recent projects include:
• Mindfields – six-month project offered a range of creative media to
participants with mental health needs in North Cumbria
• Moving Mountains – dance project with Carlisle Age Concern, creating a
new piece of choreography for presentation
• Lightning Strikes - a festival of Disability Arts including a series of
workshops by disabled artists culminating in a cabaret event
• The Jumpstart project began in April 2002, a three year project, funded by
The Diana, Princes of Wales Memorial Fund and the Regional Arts
Lottery Programme. The main aims of the project were to establish a
self-sufficient Deaf performing arts group, to work with groups throughout
Cumbria
• Prism Arts in partnership with Arts Council England, North West, Full
Circle Arts and North West Disability Arts offered bursaries to disabled
artists in the North West region and planed a major exhibition of their
work at the Brewery Arts Centre in Cumbria in March 2004
• Spinning Yarns provides arts programme for older people in Cumbria
Organisation’s statement:
We are involved in the arts for fun, training and a living.
6. Findings and analysis
This was the most difficult area to develop as the staff member responsible
for this project left the BDA halfway through. It has been very difficult to
track down exactly how many questionnaires were actually distributed and
how many of these questionnaires were conducted through interviews.
The questionnaires and the interviews have not been transcribed very well
as it appears that these were conducted in BSL and very short notes were
written. The author did not expand on these notes therefore general
assumptions have been made.
Some are very detailed and written in ‘Deaf’ English, which indicates that
interviews with these individuals may have derived more information. All the
feedback within these questionnaires has been incorporated in this report
and its findings.
Participants in interviews and questionnaires expressed a desire to be
included in poetry writing, drama, multimedia, digital photography,
photography and pottery.
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
Participants felt they wanted Deaf BSL users to be involved in the arts in a
variety of ways. For example, Deaf participants mentioned they wanted to
work with the Arts Council to bring about positive development for Deaf BSL
users. Deaf artists have worked in the arts, but felt that they could not make
progress, due to lack of funds to undertake appropriate training courses,
lack of information for Deaf BSL users and access needs and lack of places
to go where they can develop their skills.
‘English is not my first language. My second year [at university] went
downhill. I took a year out and then did not want to go back, cos of the
barriers. I practised my lip-reading and tried to sign but couldn’t do it. There
were no deaf people in the area to help me’
‘I know that deaf people want to be actors or camera operators – the
problem is the interview process, hearing people concentrate on the tone of
voice and not on sign language’
‘We need more interpreters for deaf people’
6.1 Arts and Culture debate at BDA event ‘BSL Recognition - 2
Years On’
The workshop on ‘Arts and Culture’ at the BDA regional conference on 19
March 2004 was held to identify any Deaf BSL users involved in the arts,
what the Deaf community would like to see promoted and to identify any
arts development in the North West.
Participants felt they wanted to encourage Deaf BSL users to be involved in
the arts in a variety of ways. For example, Deaf participants mentioned they
wanted to work with the Arts Council to bring about positive development
for Deaf BSL users. Many Deaf artists have worked in the arts but felt that
they could not make progress, due to lack of funds to undertake appropriate
training or courses, lack of information about Deaf BSL users, the need for
accessibility and lack of places to go where they can develop their skills.
Most Deaf participants mentioned they enjoyed the theatre and they wanted
to see more Deaf comedy, or Deaf BSL users mixing with hearing people
and creating a show. Participants felt the underlying theme in theatre with
Deaf BSL users involved can be quite political. Deaf BSL users may be
using arts to convey their feelings about political situations, such as their
rights or recognition of sign language. It was agreed that Deaf BSL users
need to be given the opportunity to relate to a wider range of current and
historical issues within the theatre setting, whether acting or in the
audience.
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
‘There could be Deaf political comedy making jokes about the hearing
world’ – participant in debate.
‘Deaf poetry would allow for a high standard of BSL to be used in the arts’ –
participant in debate.
A participant mentioned that the Bluecoat Theatre in Liverpool may have a
gallery for Deaf and disabled people to display their work when it has
finished its renovation process. Other venues identified were the Tate
Gallery in Liverpool having an interest in displaying Deaf people’s work. It
was generally felt visual arts are hidden and they wanted to bring all the
arts work together and show the variety of skills within the Deaf community.
In the workshop, it was mentioned that the North West is a big area, and
many people felt that Deaf arts development needs to be led by the Deaf
community, as this would reflect what Deaf BSL users in the community
want.
A participant felt Deaf BSL users meet double barriers when trying to work
in the theatre or TV. For example, they might need one Deaf person to take
a job for a part in a film and there would be a queue of Deaf BSL users
wanting the job, all of who may not necessarily have gained the appropriate
training or qualification.
It was identified that Deaf BSL users are not being offered opportunities
outside of degree education to further their skills in the arts field. There is a
general inaccessibility to postgraduate courses for Deaf BSL users; barriers
identified included, therefore, that they have had to apply for alternative
forms of employment to further their careers.
The general consensus is that there is a need for more arts development in
the Deaf BSL community in the North West of England.
‘We want to develop events like the DaDaFest – it used to be tokenistic. We
had to get angry to get Deaf people accepted’
7. Conclusion and recommendations
7.1 Throughout the UK, there are numerous barriers to Deaf BSL users’
involvement and progression within the arts: lack of access to training, to
opportunities, lack of access through communication support, negative
assumptions by others about the capabilities and potential of Deaf BSL
users and so on. However, mainly in London, Deaf BSL users have been
able, at both an individual, group and organisational level, to push through
these barriers. Where they have, it has been a long-term process with direct
support from individuals within the arts funding system.
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Mapping Deaf Arts in the North West
7.2 Individual artists
It was discovered from the interviews with Deaf artists in the North West
that there are generally barriers to practising as a Deaf artist. The majority
of Deaf artists found their access to the arts limited or nonexistent. There is
an identified need for setting up workshops to involve Deaf BSL users in the
arts. Most Deaf artists were able to develop their arts skills at
school/colleges; but the majority of these individuals were not able to
develop their skills further after leaving secondary/tertiary education.
Organisations and Groups
NWDAF has Deaf BSL user representation and this is an area of expertise
that could be shared with many more Deaf organisations. Particularly
gaining expertise at board level for Deaf BSL users. Very few projects
reported using Deaf BSL users themselves to lead or work on projects as
artists and role models. As reported previously, nationally there are a
growing number of artists and companies using and employing Deaf BSL
users in this way. Although there can be transport and accommodation
expenses bringing in Deaf BSL users from other areas.
It appears that some mainstream arts organisations have a significant
involvement with Deaf BSL users; this appears to be developed through
forming a group for a specific purpose, rather than actually focusing on
individual development.
There is often pressure to change the group focus in order to give others
the opportunity to become involved. Often, funding constraints mean that
the organisation has to change its focus in order to be successful in
fundraising. From a participatory perspective, this gives more people the
chance to take part in mainstream; it can be less satisfactory from the
perspective of a talented individual, as they are exposed to a level and
context of work and then not given the opportunity to expand. This is an
issue that is prevalent across all of disabled people’s involvement in the
arts, not one that is unique to Deaf arts.
The majority of arts projects run by organisations are short term, rather than
sustainable, long-term commitments. Large portions of organisations and
individuals time are spent looking for funding, and due to the lack of
income, projects are tightly budgeted, often focusing on their length rather
than their artistic aims. In many ways, this can be seen as ‘chicken and egg’
– without the constant need to find funding, groups may have the time and
space to develop a greater sense of artistic purpose; yet without this
purpose, they may find sustainable arts funding in particular, harder to
access.
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Due to the limited finances available, fees for artists/arts workers are
perceived to be low, and finding skilled people with an aptitude for working
with Deaf BSL users is reported as difficult. There is little training available
to develop staff, little capacity to attend training even if it were offered and
projects do not share contacts of staff, to widen their options.
Networking between individuals and organisations within the region is
minimal, with few people knowing about groups and organisations in their
own sub-region, or contacts within the region. Groups are linked into the
Deaf infrastructure within their areas (deaf organisations etc) although few
have formal or informal links with the equivalent arts infrastructure.
General recommendations
i Although Arts Council England does provide funds for participation
and access to arts opportunities, it needs to articulate its funding
criteria in a way Deaf BSL users themselves can understand,
preferably through BSL or plain English.
ii Arts Council England needs to advocate and lobby the education and
training sector to ensure that training options and career progression
routes are opened to Deaf BSL users at all levels.
iii Arts Council England, North West leads by example and
demonstrates exemplary access to Deaf BSL users in all areas of its
own internal and external work. This includes:
• providing accessible formats for Deaf BSL users (for example,
easy English print and video/dvd/cd-rom formats) enabling
Deaf individuals and groups to apply in formats accessible to
them
• ensuring that public events are designed to be accessible for
Deaf BSL users including the promotion of captioning at arts
festivals and booking sign language interpreters
• ensuring that Deaf BSL users are represented at Deaf,
disability and mainstream events
• promoting work with key Deaf-led organisations, to hold
specific art based festivals for celebration / encouragement of
Deaf art
7.2 Arts Council England, North West is encouraged to:
• Support mainstream arts organisations and local deaf organisations in
establishing workshops with Deaf artists as role models
• Support local galleries and similar in organising a visual arts exhibition
to show Deaf artists work and invite mainstream and Deaf organisations
to view
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• Support campaigns in access for Deaf artists into the mainstream ‘artists
grapevine’
• Support local Deaf organisations to organise and establish an annual
Deaf Arts festival weekend
• Support and promote captioned screenings at arts festivals
• Support Deaf artists in being invited to show work at mainstream
festivals/exhibitions
• Funding opportunities need to be made accessible through BSL
interpretation of funding documentation and made as available as
possible to the Deaf community
• Set up opportunities within the theatre sector, including writing, drama
and songwriting workshops
• Encourage funding applications from organisations, groups, and
individuals which promote skilled Deaf artists and arts workers as role
models, have clear progression routes showing how Deaf individuals
who have gained skills and/or confidence through a project are linked to
further provision or opportunities
• Encourage extended and genuine partnerships between Deaf arts
groups and mainstream arts organisations/professional artists
Increased networking will inspire better working practices; improve the
quality of arts work and the skills of arts workers. This could be achieved
through a number of initiatives:
• disseminating the listings from this mapping process
• encouraging groups to create their own websites to link to Arts
Council and local organisations that have Deaf people working within
them such as NWDAF etc
• supporting an annual regional showcase/network event (which could
be, in the first instance, linked to NWDAF’s DaDaFest or other existing
programme of events)
• creating a regional network for Deaf arts (following the Shape,
London-based model)
Arts Council England, North West should inform participants in this mapping
process which recommendations can be progressed. It is suggested that a
summary of the key findings of this report, the contacts section and
information on what may occur in the future is provided in BSL/ plain
English to those who were involved in the mapping process in order to keep
the momentum going and keep their trust and involvement in future
developments.
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Appendices
Artists and organisations identified through the mapping project
Individuals Artform Contact About
Ali Briggs Deaf actress briggsy@alij54.freeserve.co.uk Ali has appeared in Coronation Street
recently as a relative of one of the
characters. She is well known for her
work as an actress.
Anne Cunningham Actress/performer acunningham@supanet.com
Founder member of ‘Nasty Girls’
acting troupe.
Barry Avison Actor barry@nwdaf.co.uk As part of North West Disability Arts
Forum and Merseysign, Barry is a
familiar face in the Liverpool region.
Caroline Parker Actress carosparks@hotmail.com Caroline Parker is one of the best
known deaf actresses and cabaret
performers working in the UK today.
James McLaughlin Sculptor Fax/phone 0151 260 4167 Well known for his sculpture work and
appearance on See Hear!
Jen Dodds Journalist / deafpower@gmail.com Well known in the Deaf community for
songwriter
journalism and for contributions to
Deaf media such as British Deaf News
and Deaf Worlds.
Kathie Hare Cockburn Actress Kathie.HareCockburn@liverpool.gov.uk As part of the troupe, Merseysign,
Kathie is a familiar face in the
Liverpool region.
Rachael Hayes Photographer curlie@hair69.freeserve.co.uk Photographer
Ramesh Meyyappan Performer curlyrams@yahoo.com.sg
Well known in the Deaf and
mainstream communities for his mime
work.
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Mapping d/Deaf arts in the North West
Organisations Artform Contact About
Arts Council England,
North West
Bluecoat Arts Centre Visual arts, live art
and performing arts
All Arts Council England, North West
Manchester House
22 Bridge Street
Manchester M3 3AB
Phone: 0845 300 6200
Fax: 0161 834 6969
Textphone: 0161 834 9131
Website: www.artscouncil.org.uk
Julia Keenan, Disability Officer
Email: julia.keenan@artscouncil.org.uk
Alexandra Turner, Assistant Officer:
Diversity
Email: alexandra.turner@artscouncil.org.uk
Bluecoat Arts Centre
School Lane
Liverpool L1 3BX
Phone: 0151 709 5297
Email: admin@bluecoatartscentre.com
British Deaf Association British Deaf Association
Wilson Patten Street
Warrington WA1 1PG
Arts Council England is the national
development agency for the arts in
England, distributing public money
from Government and the National
Lottery.
Bluecoat is the oldest visual arts
centre in Liverpool and a key venue
for national and international visual
arts, live art and performing arts. It is
a mainstream supporter of Deaf arts.
The British Deaf Association (BDA)
is the largest Deaf organisation in
the UK that is run by Deaf people.
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Mapping d/Deaf arts in the North West
Common Ground Sign
Theatre
Phone: 01925 625520
Textphone: 01925 652529
Email: emmac@bda.org.uk
Website: www.signcommunity.org.uk
Emma Coleman, Director – North
Dance Common Ground Sign Dance Theatre
Gostins Building
32-36 Hanover Street
Liverpool L1 4LN
Phone: 0151 707 8033
Textphone: 0151 707 8380
Email: simeon@signdance.com
Website: www.signdance.com
Simeon Hart, Manager
Deafinitely Theatre Theatre Deafinitely Theatre
Beethoven Centre
Third Avenue
London W10 4JL
Phone: 020 8968 1589
Email: paula@deafinitelytheatre.co.uk
Paula Garfield, Actress/producer
Common Ground create unique
performances and community
workshops through the fusion of sign
language, dance and physical
theatre, which are accessible to all
audiences. They have worked with
national theatre groups such as
Richard Alston Dance Company.
A Deaf theatre company based in
London. All their work is Deaf led but
is accessible to hearing people as
well.
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Mapping d/Deaf arts in the North West
Enabling Through Sound
and Music (ETSAM)
Music 3 Thornton Grove
Morecambe LA4 5PU
Phone: 01524 427919
Email: info@ETSAM.org.uk
Website: www.etsam.org.uk
Full Circle Arts All Full Circle Arts
Greenheys Business Centre
10 Pencroft Way
Manchester M15 6JJ
Phone: 0161 279 7878
Fax: 0161 279 7879
Email: enquiries@fullcirclearts.co.uk
Website: www.fullcirclearts.co.uk
Music and the Deaf Music Music and the Deaf
The Media Centre
7 Northumberland Street
Huddersfield HD1 1RL
Phone: 01484 483115
Fax: 01484 483116
Textphone: 01484 483117
Email info@matd.org.uk
Website: www.matd.org.uk
Paul Whittaker, Artistic Director
University-based research
organisation that enables people
who are hard of hearing or deaf to
listen to music more clearly and
enjoyably.
Full Circle Arts is an arts
devleopment agency based in
Manchester. It is a user-led
company and exists as a regional
resource for Disability Arts.
Music and the Deaf is a unique
charity that brings music and the
performing arts to deaf people and
those who live and work with them.
21

Mapping d/Deaf arts in the North West
North West Deaf
Association
North West Disability
Arts Forum (NWDAF)
Email: nwda@bda.org.uk Area Deaf Association with the
British Deaf Association.
All North West Disability Arts Forum
North West Disability Arts Forum
MPAC Building
(NWDAF) is a Disability Arts
1-27 Bridport Street
Development Agency based in
Liverpool L3 5QF
Liverpool. They organise the annual
DaDaFest, the largest celebration of
Phone: 0151 707 1733
Disability and Deaf art in the North
Fax: 0151 708 9355
Textphone: 0151 706 0365
Email: nwdaf:nwdaf.co.uk
Website: www.nwdaf.co.uk
West.
Prism Arts All Prism Arts
Unit 1, Brampton Business Centre
Union Lane
Brampton CA8 1BX
Phone: 016977 45011
Fax: 01697 745006
Email: office@prismarts.fsnet.co.uk
Website: www.prism.co.uk
Prism Arts exists to support and
enable excluded groups in Cumbria
to realise their creative potential and
celebrate their experience through
active participation in and
exploration of the arts.
Visual Motions Film Email: ranjit@visualmotions.co.uk Deaf run film company based in
Bradford
22

Contacting Deaf clubs in the North West
You can search for contact details for Deaf clubs in the North West at the
British Deaf Associations website www.signcommunity.org.uk
The information directory can be found in the information section and gives
free and unlimited access to search from over 1,700 organisations, groups
and services across the UK.
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