Pathways to the Profession Symposium – Addressing the issues inhibiting inclusion of disabled people
‘What if arts directors and casting agents could choose from professionally trained performing talent representing the whole of our society? What if we could hear everybody’s stories and add real breadth of choice and range of life experience to the future of artistic leadership? Can we empower ourselves and collaborate to achieve that future?’
(Janet Smith, Artistic Director, Scottish Dance Theatre)
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19th & 20th January 2012, Dundee Rep Theatre
Building pathways into professional arts for disabled people
Scottish Dance Theatre is producing an international Symposium exploring Pathways into Professional Performing Arts for Disabled People. The Symposium is being held in Dundee on 19th and 20th January 2012. Scottish Dance Theatre is part of Dundee Rep Theatre and we are working in partnership with Creative Scotland, The Federation of Scottish Theatre, Glasgow Life and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland to run this event.
The Symposium is aimed at performing arts education providers/organisations, arts industry employers, disabled and non-disabled artists – from aspiring to professional, arts and education leaders working with young disabled people, policy and decision-makers in the arts and education and other interested parties keen to be involved. It will examine the gaps and address the issues inhibiting inclusion of disabled people in the performing arts. The aim is to stimulate a shift in thinking within the sector and to move from a place of awareness to a place of action, increasing the number of disabled people involved in the arts.
The Symposium will be chaired by multi-disciplinary performing artist & writer Mat Fraser and Keynote Speakers will include Jenny Sealey, Artistic Director of Graeae Theatre Company and Co-Artistic Director of the Paralympics Opening Ceremony for London 2012, Professor Jürg Koch – Dance Program, UW Seattle and Andrew Dixon, Chief Executive of Creative Scotland. There will also be panel presentations by leaders in the field of arts and disability, live performances by professional disabled artists and plenty of networking opportunities.
We hope that the Symposium will contribute towards significant change in equality of opportunity for disabled artists in the performing arts. We recognise that this is a pivotal moment to bring people together to share and learn from models of good practice, to shape the future landscape of equality in the arts and to further strategic thinking about how best to achieve a shared vision.
Scottish Dance Theatre (SDT), Scotland’s leading contemporary dance company, has done a considerable amount of work in the field of performing arts and disability both on stage as well as through the pioneering work of Caroline Bowditch, SDT’s Dance Agent for Change. SDT is passionate about broadening the debate and making a substantial difference to future practice both within Scotland and further afield.
To register your interest in participating contact SDT on sdt@dundeereptheatre.co.uk or 01382 342600.
