Community Services project

The programme will employ artists with learning disabilities to work in the community. They will develop and market their own arts practice while engaging other people including people with disabilities in accredited arts training. They will also engage school children with mixed abilities and provide community based arts workshops to members of the Mayfield Community regardless of their ability.

The project focuses on the social, economic and cultural participation.

Outcome, benefit & impact of project

•  Increased recognition of people with disabilities as members of the workforce

•  Increased number of people with disabilities working as artists

•  Challenge to the dependency models disability

•  Increase in number of people with disabilities pursuing art as a vocation

•  Increased accomplishment of right to have access to and participate in cultural activities for individuals with disabilities through increase in level of arts activity in disability organisations

•  Increased engagement and artistic exchange between disabled and non-disabled artists and between arts sector and disability sector stakeholders

•  Decrease of isolation of older people and people with disabilities through participation in community workshops

•  Alleviation the disadvantage and exclusion of people with disabilities by providing a strong model of integration tackling discrimination and promoting awareness.

•  Broadened understanding and awareness of disability issues and disability arts in the community especially among children and young people and older people .

•  Personal development of people with disabilities, particularly of self-confidence and self-esteem, which enhancing the ability to function in other aspects of life.