Europe Beyond Access (EBA) is an international project that supports the creation of new works by Deaf and/or disabled artists from across Europe. It involves 10 European dance and performing arts organisations and is co-funded by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union. EBA is the biggest transnational project in the world supporting disabled and/or Deaf artists, to break the glass ceilings of contemporary dance and theatre and to become Europe’s next artistic leaders.
In this context, EBA is undertaking research on the access, lack of access and experience of disabled students in higher education institutions in the performing arts in Creative Europe countries and the UK – that is, theatre schools, dance academies, conservatories, and similar institutions that provide practical, skills-based education for those seeking to enter the professional performing arts, for example as actors, dancers, technicians, directors, choreographers, producers, stage managers, lighting or costume or stage designers, or production managers. Research will also analyse what alternative educational and professional development paths have been followed by disabled people who could not access mainstream educational institutions.
The research combines interviews, focus groups, events, a literature review and several surveys. It is coordinated by On the Move, based on its previous research that led to the groundbreaking research series Time to Act. The research team includes disabled and non-disabled members. Their final report will be published on 3 December 2025, on the occasion of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
As part of the research process, there are three surveys that focus on three target groups (people can choose which one to fill in depending on which target group is most relevant for them):
- The first survey is addressed to disabled* Performing Artists & Culture Professionals (including those in training) – *including those with disabilities, and those who are Deaf, Neurodivergent and chronically ill – in the fields of theatre, dance, and other performing arts forms.
- The second is addressed to higher education institutions providing tertiary/university-level education in theatre, dance, and other performing arts forms. We are seeking the opinions and experiences of individual staff members as well as formal responses from administrations. More than one response from different representatives/staff members of the same institution are acceptable.
- The third survey is addressed to performing arts organisations involved in the creation, production, distribution or presentation of professional works. It focuses particularly on their perception of educational opportunities in this field and how these may enable or hinder careers for disabled artists and disabled professionals in the performing arts.
The questionnaire is available in English, French, German and Spanish. If you are not comfortable in any of these languages, you can also respond in your own language and/or through a video/audio recording and we will make sure to translate your answers. In that case, thanks for informing us at mobility@on-the-move.org so that we can coordinate accordingly.
This research acknowledges the existence of several terms in the field of disability and accessibility, which are often used differently according to cultural, national and political contexts. As in the case of the previous Time to Act reports, the research uses primarily the terms ‘disabled artists’ and ‘disabled people’ as equivalent to ‘artists with disabilities’ and ‘people with disabilities’. Respondents are invited to use their own terms in the open questions included in this survey.
Deadline: 24 March 2025
English
- English survey 1: Disabled* Performing Artists & Culture Professionals (including those in training) *including those with disabilities, and those who are Deaf, Neurodivergent and chronically ill.
- English survey 2: Higher Education Institutions in the Performing Arts
- English survey 3: Performing Arts Organisations
Français
- Enquête en français 1 : Artistes et professionnels du spectacle en situation de handicap* (inclus les personnes encore étudiantes) * y compris les personnes sourdes, neurodivergentes et souffrant de maladies chroniques
- Enquête en français 2 : Etablissements d’enseignement supérieur dans le domaine des arts du spectacle
- Enquête en français 3 : Organisations évoluant dans le secteur des arts du spectacle (production, création, diffusion, programmation etc.)
Deutsch
- Fragebogen 1 für behinderte, chronisch kranke, neurodivergente und t/Taube Künstler*innen und Kulturschaffende der darstellenden Künste (einschließlich Personen, die noch in Ausbildung / im Studium sind)
- Fragebogen 2 für Hochschuleinrichtungen im Bereich der darstellenden Künste
- Fragebogen 3 für Organisationen der darstellenden Künste
Español
- Encuesta 1 para artistas y profesionales de las artes escénicas con discapacidad*, incluidos actuales estudiantes * incluye a personas con cualquier tipo de discapacidad física, sensorial, y personas con enfermedades crónicas o neurodivergencias
- Encuesta 2 para instituciones de educación superior en las artes escénicas
- Encuesta 3 para organizaciones de las artes escénicas
The Europe Beyond Access consortium comprises: Skånes Dansteater (Sweden), Holland Dance Festival (Netherlands), Onassis Stegi (Greece), Oriente Occidente (Italy), Kampnagel – Internationales Zentrum für schönere Künste (Germany), CODA Oslo International Dance Festival (Norway), Centrum Kultury ZAMEK w Poznaniu (Poland), Project Arts Centre (Ireland), Mercat de les Flors (Spain), Culturgest – Fundação CGD (Portugal).
This research is also supported by the British Council, which initiated and led the first Europe Beyond Access programme from 2018–2023 and is now an Associate Partner to the project.
Europe Beyond Access is further supported by Europe-wide Dissemination Affiliates: European Festivals Association, ELIA Art Schools, IETM, Flanders Arts Institute, European Dance Development Network, Un-Label, and the Big Pulse Dance Alliance consortium of European Dance Festivals.
Image Description: The image is from Sindri Runudde’s production Cosmetic demons: a choreographic salon and features Sindri in the foreground in a white fluffy coat and having just extinguished a match. Behind them, two dancers dressed in black. On the image, the EBA branding stripes and the text: Survey about accessibility in higher performing arts education. Last chance to share your opinion! Deadline: 24 March 2025
