This publication follows On the Move’s Cultural Mobility Webinar on the ‘International Mobility of Disabled Artists and Culture Professionals’ and builds upon the two large-scale studies it carried out for the British Council, as part of the EU funded project Europe Beyond Access, Time to Act: How lack of knowledge in the cultural sector creates barriers for disabled artists and audiences (2021) and Time to Act: Two Years On, Data-led Insights on Performing Arts and Disability in Europe (2023).
The publication also draws on recent online and in-person initiatives led by On the Move members to raise awareness of the various specific conditions and needs of disabled artists and arts workers. Today, there is an extensive body of literature, including commitments, reports, case studies, and toolkits, available to guide culture professionals in providing greater access – but these are not widely circulated, partly because they are often focused on a single country, or available in only one language. Moreover, they mostly focus on increasing access to disabled audiences but rarely address issues related to providing greater support to disabled arts workers.
Unsurprisingly, gaps remain in providing structured guidance and training to support the international trajectories of disabled artists and culture professionals. Equal access to cross-border mobility and its numerous opportunities to explore, create, learn, or connect has yet to be achieved. Across various art forms, the cultural field needs to take concrete steps to enable disabled individuals to access creative research in different contexts, artistic production at macro-regional, European, or international levels, new knowledge and skills outside their home country, and connections with international peers.
The first chapter presents an analysis of calls for cultural mobility opportunities posted on the On the Move website since January 2020. The data thus concentrates on funded programmes, generally one-off calls or related to temporary or shifting programmes, rather than permanent ones, which are listed separately in our mobility funding guides.
The second chapter builds on contributions from key experts during the webinar and additional interviews. It aims to better identify the challenges faced by disabled artists and culture professionals in accessing international opportunities, while dis-cussing practical solutions and local initiatives.
The third chapter summarises evidence from recent literature addressing opportunities for professional development among disabled artists and culture professionals, with particular attention to factors that may enable or hinder engagement in international mobility.
Ultimately, the publication provides recommendations to all cultural stakeholders, European Union institutions, and local, regional, and national authorities. These recommendations are derived from the analysed sources, including policy documents, research reports, and other contributions related to the circumstances in which disabled artists and culture professionals operate. Examples of toolkits, programmes, and other initiatives that illustrate the issues being addressed have also been considered.
Translation in Georgian coordinated by Maka Chkhaidze part of the Dissemin’actions of the Cultural Mobility Developers’ Workshop in Tbilisi.
