Dada-News - March 2010

Antony Gormley gives his patronage to the Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary

Antony Gormley, one of Britains best known and internationally significant artists, is to become patron of the Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary administered by the disability-led arts organisation, Shape.

Antony Gormley said, Adam was inspirational as an artist and a man, seeing his disability as a strength, and always open to new experiences and new expression. This bursary is the most practical and powerful way to continue doing what Adam did to make the possible palpable.

Shape CEO, Tony Heaton said, We are delighted that Antony Gormley has accepted our invitation to be the Patron of the Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary. Antony knew Adam and his work well.  His quote very much sums up the nature and growing importance of the bursary.  Shape is proud to continue to promote this wonderful opportunity for disabled artists to work in such prestigious places as Camden Arts Centre, the Bluecoat Gallery, Liverpool and currently with Spike Island in Bristol.

The current recipient of the bursary is Aaron Williamson. Aaron began his artistic career in sculpture, but quickly moved into performance and video art. Aaron said, The Adam Reynolds Bursary at Spike Island will allow me to continue the process of exploration of artistic ideas and discover ways in which to revitalise my artistic work.

Shape works to improve access to the arts for disabled people, opening up opportunities for a diverse range of artists and supporting artists to develop their professional practice. The Adam Reynolds Memorial Bursary is a practical application of its aim to promote high-quality practice by disabled artists.

Aaron Williamson's residency at Spike Island will run throughout the Spring of 2010.  There will be opportunities to see the work in progress in open studio events during the residency.

For more informatino about Shape's Adam Reyolds Bursary go to the Shape website
www.shapearts.org.uk/

Photo of Antony Gormley © Lars Gundersen

Government Equalities Office announces proposals

The Government Equalities Office recently published the ministerial policy statement on the Equality Bill specific duties. Many of the concerns set out by disability equality and other equality organisations have not been addressed in this document.

There is no specific requirement for public bodies to publish an equality scheme. The document talks about achieving priority objectives, as opposed to a cross cutting requirement to consider equality in all areas and determine action objectively. It seems that the Disability Discrimination Act is being further whittled down as was predicted by the Disability Rights Movement when it first became law. There is no prescription on steps to be taken to achieve specific duties - only a duty to show outcomes.

There is no broad duty to collect evidence of achieving equality, only to collect and publish figures on gender pay, percentage of disabled and BME employees. Lastly the requirement for public bodies to take equality into consideration around issues of procurement have been limited.

The wording around a public bodies duty to address suppliers’ breaches of discrimination law come down to setting out guidelines, rather than creating any hard and fast rules.

As they stand the proposals are a weakening of the specific duties and of transparency. The proposals will not come into action before a general election. Go to the website to read the brief
http://www.equalities.gov.uk/pdf/psdresp_GEO_MakingItWork_acc.pdf

Apartheid at the Ashmolean, Oxford and the Darwin Centre, London

Marcus Weisen, Director, Jodi Mattes Trust for accessible digital culture has written two letters of complaint to The Museums Journal regarding the inaccessibility of buildings developments that have cost £61 million and £78 million respectively.

Both of these prestigious developments in the museum sector have opened with no regard to access for casual visitors who are blind or deaf or who have a learning difficulty.

Marcus Weisen writes "Public Authorities, such as local authority and national museums, HLF and the department for culture have specific duties under the Disability Equality Duty (2005). These are about involving disabled people in matters that affect them, as well as about strategic and systemic change. National public funding for new exhibition design has not been used strategically to provide disability equality. As a result existing apartheid is being further entrenched. When disabled people are no longer seen as the problem, but as part of the design solution, new galleries will become a shared experience."

It seems at odds with the Olympian values of excellence, respect and friendship that such flagship museum developments should have happened with little regard for issues of accessibility that would ultimately have offered creative engagement for everyone.

The Darwin Centre is a nightmare to traverse for large sections of the public, let alone disabled visitors. Weisen writes "The sloping voyage down the Centre left me bewildered, angry and pensive. How is it that in the age of anti-discrimination such blatant exclusion is still allowed? It's got much to do with a sloppy approach to legal duties and lack of creative engagement."

The fact is that anyone who has a fear of lifts or experiences claustrophobia would be well advised to stay away. Design principles have outweighed function on a whole score of levels - in spite of The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) requirement that museums take reasonable steps to make collections accessible.

Both museums have taken a tokenistic attitude to providing accessible features. There are big print labels and panels at the Darwin Centre providing access for some partially sighted people. Sub-titles are provided for people who are hard of hearing - but the wider community of Visually Impaired and Deaf people are excluded.

The Ashmolean has even less inclusivity in its approach - with the sole provision of an occasional touch tour provided at exclusive times.

In the approach to 2012 as The Cultural Olympiad aim to make access a cause for pride in London and the South East, it seems that these two museums will be a blot on the landscape.

You can find the Museums Journal at
http://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal