Top tips: commissioning deaf and disabled artists
1. WHY… Think carefully about what you’re doing…
• All of your commissions, services and opportunities should be open to disabled
and deaf people.
• If you are targeting disabled people specifically, make sure you’re clear on why
you’re doing it. Is it a celebration, a conscious decision to address inequality?
2. HOW… Think about how to make all your commissions and opportunities accessible to disabled and deaf people. You need to make sure you’re saying things in the right way, and putting it in the right places.
• How are you talking about it? Use Plain English, think about font size, and make
sure the information is available in accessible formats. More information is
available from Shape.
• Where are you talking about it? Use the disability and disability arts press (for
example, Shape’s e-newsletter or Disability Arts Online).
• In public sector organisations, the Disability Equality Duty requires employers to
proactively promote equal opportunity. You could do this by including a by-line on
all of your information that says, for example: “Shape encourages applications
from disabled and deaf people.”
3. BE CAREFUL… Language really does matter. Inappropriate language can cause offence and un-do all your good work.
• If you’re not sure, ask us first.
• Make sure you and your team has been on disability equality training, and you
know the basics of accessible marketing.
4. WHAT… Don’t assume that disabled artists will produce work about disability. Give them the freedom to interpret the brief how they wish.
5. ACCESS… Make sure you write access costs in all your budgets.
• It’s your legal responsibility to make sure your opportunities are accessible to
everyone. No-one should be turned down because meeting their access needs is
too expensive.
• You won’t know in advance what people will need, so it’s best to over-estimate. It
could include: Sign Language interpreters, support workers, palantypists, note
takers or travel costs.
• Think about how you’re going to provide access at all stages of the project:
interviews, meeting venues and showcase venues.
6. ASK APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS… The Social Model of Disability says that people are disabled by their environment (such as stairs, prejudice or inaccessible information), rather than their particular impairment or condition (which is nobody’s business but their own).
• Never ask or record information about people’s impairments.
• All you need ask is whether they have any access requirements. This could be
around physical access, communication support, or even the time of day the
meeting takes place.
• Make sure that you make a note of access requirements so that you don’t have to
ask for them every time.
7. BE UNDERSTANDING… For someone with dyslexia, or a BSL-user for whom English is a second language, written applications may be less accessible.
• Where possible, give people the option to apply in their preferred format.
• Be understanding that what might be seen as poor grammar may actually be an
access issue.
8. BE FLEXIBLE…
• Depending on how you structure your commission, the successful artist may be
able to apply to Access to Work to cover the cost of any adjustments they may
need. Shape has just produced a Rough Guide to Access to Work (available on
our website).
• You may find that the successful artist receives one or more types of benefits
from the Government. Receiving income over a certain amount can have an affect
on Incapacity Benefits, Income Support and Housing Benefits. There are no clear
rules, and it varies from council to council. But if you’re keen to commission that
artist, you may need to be flexible in the way you pay them.
9. BE INSPIRED… Look at the work of other disabled artists – be inspired by what’s out there.
• d-art (www.d-art.org.uk)
• Disability Arts Online (www.disabilityarts.com)
• Sign up for Shape’s free e-newsletter
(www.shapearts.org.uk/news/registerfornewsletter/)
10. DON’T PANIC… Lots of people are so terrified of getting things wrong, that
they do nothing at all.
• There are lots of small changes you can make easily (and for free) that can start
making your commissions and opportunities more accessible immediately.
• Ask for help. Shape runs subsidised disability equality and access training, and is
happy to answer questions year-round.
