Photo caption: Pictured at the Harkin Summit 2022 (L-R) is William Leatham Vice-Chair, Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI), Moira Doherty, Deputy Secretary for Engaged Communities Group at the Department for Communities, Karly Greene, Director of Strategic Development & Partnerships (ACNI), Gilly Campbell, Head of Participatory Arts (ACNI), Graeme Stevenson, Research and Policy Officer (ACNI), Alice McCullough, poet, and Damien Coyle MBE and Chief Executive of the University of Atypical.

On Wednesday 8 June, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland chaired a panel on Arts and Disability at The Harkin Summit in Belfast, only the second time ever that this leading conference has been delivered outside the USA. The discussion on ‘Arts, Disability and the Pandemic – a creative response’ addressed the barriers facing disabled people and disabled artists in accessing and participating in the arts post- pandemic.

Among the attendees at the Harkin Summit 2022 were global leaders in the fields of Government, disability, research, philanthropy and business. Chairing the Arts Council panel was Arts Council’s Head of Participatory Arts, Gilly Campbell, who was joined by a panel of experts from the disability arts sector, policy and research, creative industries and Government sectors including Fionn Angus and Jonathan Angus of Fionnathan Productions. Gilly commented,

“The Arts Council of Northern Ireland was proud to take part in the Harkin Summit. Our aim is to help advance and create equality of opportunity to the arts for disabled people and today’s Summit offered a vital platform to bring together those with the power to create change and impact positively on the lives of disabled people; the experts, the researchers, the policy makers and representatives from Government. We are very grateful to Senator Tom Harkin for bringing this influential and important Summit to Northern Ireland and for inviting us to be a part of the challenge for change along with the Department for Communities.”

Northern Ireland benefits from some of the most innovative disabled artists whose work has been honoured by the Arts Council and celebrated locally, nationally and internationally, yet we know that disabled people are facing increased barriers to the arts due to the pandemic – we want this to change.”

Conceived in 2016 by retired US Senator, Tom Harkin, the Harkin Summit is internationally recognised as a platform that brings together leaders and activists across Business, Government, Philanthropy, the Third and Voluntary Sector, and Academia to highlight and address disability employment issues, showcase best practice and success, build relationships and challenge for change.

Senator Harkin also co-authored and sponsored the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) (ADA), and acts as a key advisor to the Biden-Harris Administration on these issues. The Harkin Summit took place over two days, 7-8 June, in Belfast and its overarching 2022 theme was ‘Disability: Shaping, Growing and Driving Economic Change’. It offered a clear focal point for leading transformational change, before, during and post event to advance the equality of opportunity for disabled people.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland works from the perspective of the Social Model of Disability, understanding disability as a problem of exclusion from ordinary life and requiring a change in society’s values and practices in order to remove the barriers to participation. The Arts Council works in partnership with, and takes advice from, disabled people and relevant sector organisations to create our policies and programmes. The Arts Council sees disability as an equality and inclusion issue and aims to encourage universal accessibility to the arts for disabled people in Northern Ireland.

For more information on the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s policies on arts and disability visit www.artscouncil-ni.org

The University of Atypical for Arts and Disability and Cathedral Quarter Trust in collaboration with Belfast City Council, Business Cluster and Community Grant Programme invite expressions of interest from artists for a Shutter Art Project.

The project will commission up to 6 original artworks for shutters in Belfast City Centre.

The project theme is entitled ‘Revitalising Royal Avenue: North Street to Donegall Street.’

The project is funded by the DfC Covid- 19 City Revitalisation Programme.

We’re seeking artworks that will engage, surprise and delight in Belfast City Centre

1. Brief

We’re looking for expressions of interest / proposals from artists to:

o enhance the City of Belfast with new artworks on display from the corner of North Street to the corner of Donegall Street along Royal Avenue (see map).
o We will commission 6 artworks
o We will select one artist to produce up to 6 individual artworks
o Selected artwork will be reproduced on shopfront shutters
o Proposed artworks should demonstrate the creative excellence of our city

2. Key dates

o Expressions of interest to be submitted by 22nd of February 2022
o Selection of artist on the 25th of February 2022
o Design work/visuals delivered by agreed by 7th of March 2022
o Painting work begins 12th March 2022

3. Budget

o The commissioned artist will be paid £1000 per shutter.
o The budget covers all costs for preparation, materials, artists fee and final production of the finished artwork.
o Selected artists must ensure safe working practises are in place at all times.

4. Application requirements

o All expressions of interest / proposals must be made through the online form.
o Emailed applications will not be accepted.
o To complete the form, the following information is required:

1. artist/team main contact details
2. artist/team’s short biography or CVs
3. Description of proposed artwork (250 words max)
4. Artist’s images (maximum 10 images).
5. Please ensure that all files are clearly labelled with the applicant’s name.
6. The maximum file size for each file is 5MB.

5. Selection Criteria

Proposals will be assessed against the following criteria:

o creative approach
o Quality of proposal
o use of selected space
o experience of the artist/team
o feasibility of the project

Final selection is at the discretion of the selection panel

6. There is a two-stage selection process

Stage one – an open call for expressions of interest / Proposals:

o Open to individual artists or groups / collectives

Stage two – selection panel will invite shortlisted artist/collectives to submit a detailed proposal.

o 10 designs will be shortlisted
o 6 designs will be selected for reproduction on shutters.
o The artist, group / collective will be paid to develop drawings.
o The development fee is £500

7. Location

Artworks will be sited on shopfronts in the Belfast City Centre along Royal Avenue between North Street and Donegall Street.

8. Submitting proposals
Proposals can be submitted at the following location
CLICK HERE FOR FORM
9. Contact

If you have any queries, please email us at:
deirdre@universityofatypical.org

£20,000 Awarded to the Chris Ledger Legacy Award Winners

Four disabled artists have won the Chris Ledger Legacy Awards from The University of Atypical in memory of its much-loved former CEO who died in 2020.
Each of the artists will receive £5,000 to help them continue with their practice and create new work.
The Awards, which have been funded by Unlimited and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, recognise the major contribution Chris made to the arts and cultural sector in Northern Ireland and especially her many initiatives to support d/Deaf, disabled, and Neurodiverse artists.
The four recipients are:

Ruth McGinley. Ruth is a musician and composer originally from Derry/Londonderry but now living in Belfast. Ruth will use her award to focus on creating her second album.
Larry McAree. Larry is a learning disabled artist and storyteller from Belfast. Larry will use his award to create new work.
Shiro Masuyama. Shiro is a Japanese artist who has been living in Northern Ireland since 2010. Shiro will use his award to create a new work that will take place between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Jonny McAllister. Jonny is a composer, musician and DJ from Derry/Londonderry and will use his award to create a new album.

Damien Coyle, CEO, University of Atypical said: “We are delighted with these awards being made to recognise Chris’s achievements and the inspiration she was to so many people. She’d be thrilled to see this level of award going to support new work by D/deaf, Disabled and Neurodiverse Artists.”

Chris Ledger joined the University of Atypical (then known as the Arts and Disability Forum) as Chief Executive in 2009 and was instrumental in supporting D/deaf, Disabled and Neurodiverse Artists. Her passion and determination shone through everything she did and she touched the lives of so many people in the arts sector.
Jo Verrent, Senior Producer at Unlimited said: “I want to thank every artist from Northern Ireland who applied for the Chris Ledger Legacy Awards, the applications were stunning, and it was so difficult to choose the four recipients but what an amazing four we have and what an amazing range of work and depth of experience those artists are going to bring to us.”

The Chris Ledger Legacy Awards winners video

 

Deaf & Disabled Artist Support Fund 3

£120,000 ‘financial lifeline’ for d/Deaf and Disabled Artists

Disabled artists are being offered a “financial lifeline” as a £120,000 grant package has just opened to fund new work as the arts sectors begins to fully reopen.

The University of Atypical will be awarding a minimum of 60 grants of £2,000 through the D/deaf and Disabled Artists Support Fund 3, which is funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Department for Communities, to support D/deaf, disabled and Neurodiverse artists.

Many artists struggled financially and emotionally during the lockdown with some unable to pay rent or having to sell instruments to buy food, Damien Coyle, CEO of University of Atypical explained.

This jointly funded scheme aims to provide much needed financial support to D/deaf, Disabled and Neurodiverse creative practitioners at a time when their potential to generate income has been seriously impacted by the closure of art galleries, theatres, music venues and other creative outlets due to Covid-19.

TO APPLY

Applications can be made in a number of ways:

Online APPLICATION FORM HERE
GUIDELINES ETC HERE

By email FORMS AVAILABLE HERE

By post Request form by emailing administration@universityofatypical.org

or calling 028 90239450

or DOWNLOAD FORMS HERE

you can request an advice session by completing THIS FORM<

Please find instruction videos on how to complete the forms HERE