Micro commissions launched for deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists in Coventry and Warwickshire
Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists in Coventry and Warwickshire are being encouraged to apply for grants to create new work or enhance their skills through an exciting new partnership.
The Coventry City of Culture Trust has partnered with Unlimited, a national arts commissioning programme that enables new work by disabled artists to reach UK and international audiences.
Through the partnership, the Trust is inviting d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent people who live or regularly work within a CV postcode to apply for ten micro commissions of up to £1,000 each.
The grants are open to artists of any discipline and of any level to create new work, enhance their skills or explore different creative processes within the Trust’s key themes: Activism; community collaboration; environment, nature and green futures; public realm and public spaces; and digital.
Projects can include film, live art/performance, theatre, poetry/spoken word, dance, music, visual arts and more and must be creatively-led by disabled people.
Chenine Bhathena, Creative Director of the Coventry City of Culture Trust – which is part of the Unlimited Allies network, said: “Inclusion for d/Deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists and audiences is an important focus for the Trust across all our work.
“We want to be truly representative of our city and create opportunities for the diverse range of artists in Coventry.
“The opportunity to partner with a leading organisation in the field of Disability Arts, ensures we can properly support a range of creative projects by outstanding disabled artists that explore reforming the concept of the ‘norm’. It is vital we create paid opportunities for these artists to develop their creative practise and showcase what they can do.”
Jo Verrent, Senior Producer at Unlimited said: “Unlimited, co-delivered by Shape Arts and Artsadmin, supports ambitious, creative projects by outstanding disabled artists and creatives. We're excited to partner with Coventry City of Culture to give disabled artists in the area the opportunity to create new works or develop new skills, and at the same time, deepen our connections in the Midlands.”
Deadline for applications is August 21 and more details can be found at www.coventry2021.co.uk/micro-commissions-unlimited
NOTE: Shape and Artsadmin use an inclusive definition of disability based on the Social Model approach, which, by focusing on the disabling barriers imposed by society, embraces all physical, sensory and invisible impairments, learning disability, mental health, neurodivergent and fatigue conditions.
The images provided are show productions that Unlimited has supported in the past created by D/deaf and disabled artists.
