Squarinthecircle?

Dada-South and Diablo Arts have created a unique, regional public art programme led by disabled artists and involving a cross section of the community.

Detail from Squarinthecircle?,Tony Heaton

It is a powerful voice, educational and professional development tool bringing together people from across the arts, local communities, academic environments, local authorities and businesses in Hampshire.

This inclusive public art programme has been driven by disabled artists to highlight the skills, integrity and creative practise of excluded groups. The challenge has been to provide an equal platform for inspiring new works in Disability and Deaf Arts in the public realm. The success of the project has been in the leadership, creative process and the passion of all the artists and partners to work as a team. As a result of the development phase, several key points have emerged:

• The power of collaboration with people from diverse backgrounds
  

• Connection with local communities by commissioning local disabled artists alongside lead artists
  

• The sharing of good practise and pushing the boundaries in equality for artists and accessible environments
  

• Disabled people at the front line of decision making
  

• Mentoring support for disabled artists and professionals
  

• A refreshing approach to unlocking creativity in the workplace, educational environment and local communities
  

• The development of a new network of cutting edge disabled artists developing unique skills as effective professionals to achieve change in architectural, planning and design environments

Dada-South and Diablo Arts have created an exemplary model of accessible and ground-breaking public realm working through engagement with disabled and Deaf artists. This has been achieved through knowledge-based creative processes, skills, action planning and sample strategies/action plans to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.

Squarinthecircle? was awarded an Art Plus Award for Art in Public Places, with funding from Arts Council England and SEEDA.

See more images from Squarinthecircle? in the galleries.

Watch the Squarinthecircle? film Part 1

Watch the Squarinthecircle film Part 2