Disability Arts Online

Disability Arts Online (DAO) is a UK-based charitable arts organisation led by disabled people. We serve artists and arts audiences who face disabling barriers and, in doing so, enable social change. DAO occupies a unique global position with our website showcasing disability arts content, artist development programmes, partnership and consultancy work, accessible events and a vibrant community of disabled creatives.

Our mission is to champion disability arts and culture by nurturing creativity, connection and critique. Established in 2004, DAO has a rich history of challenging dominant narratives from a disability-led position in order to support sector change. We recognise that disability is an intersectional experience that can be isolating. Through our work, we create empowering opportunities for marginalised voices to be appreciated and understood.

We work collaboratively to transform and enrich arts and culture by providing expert consultancy, training and innovative partnerships. Drawing on a wealth of lived experience of disability and professional expertise, we work with organisations to help build a more accessible, inclusive and creative society. We help the sector to address structural inequalities in several targeted ways.

Training
Our training helps organisations that are nervous about getting access wrong, facilitating skills exchange and longer term organisational change. We provide bespoke training to arts, culture and heritage organisations, as well as other relevant institutions such as funders and higher education. This includes sessions on specific topics such as:

  • Disability Equality Training
  • accessible recruitment processes
  • inclusive policy development
  • designing accessible programmes
  • Understanding and implementing Arts Council England’s Investment Principle>
  • Through Decode, our Access to Work support service, we deliver webinars and training for organisations supporting disabled employees.

Consultation
Our consultation work can go deeper into any of the training subjects, working with you to develop your programmes and policies. We can also deliver or advise on creating accessible, engaging content and websites.

Resources
Our website is also a source of knowledge and information about access and disability-related topics. Most of this is freely available and includes a listings service, directory of artists and organisations, commissioned case studies, interviews and opinion pieces.

Partnerships
When our aims and values align with other organisations, we often build collaborative partnership projects that address a specific need or gap in provision. This includes working with Access All Areas on Transforming Leadership and the British Council on Disability Arts International and Europe Beyond Access.

Support Type

Artforms supported

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