Disability Arts Online presents The Disability and...Podcast

Disability and...Therapy with Liz Bentley

Disability Arts Online — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 09:08:00 +0000

On this episode of Disability and... Disability Arts Online Founder, Colin Hambrook, chats with author, comedian, and psychotherapist Liz Bentley about her new book, The Suicidal Therapist.

Disability and... Access to TV with Jack Thorne and Eli Beaton

Disability Arts Online — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 16:42:49 +0000

On this podcast episode DAO Digital Operations Manager Joe Turnbull chats with DAO board Member and Project Lead for the TV Access Project, Eli Beaton and the multi-award winning playwright and screenwriter Jack Thorne about accessibility in the television industry.

Disability and... Learning Disabled Directors with Flo O'Mahony

Disability Arts Online — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:28:18 +0000

This month, writer, dramaturg and director, Kate Lovell chats with Artistic Director of Zoo Co theatre, Flo O’Mahony, about their production Perfect Show for Rachel. Perfect Show is directed by Flo's sister, Rachel, a theatre-loving, enigmatic, learning-disabled woman. Kate and Flo discuss the practicalities of having a learning-disabled person in creative control, how audiences have responded and how the production has evolved over time.

Disability and...Access to Work with Jess Thom

Disability Arts Online — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 10:07:12 +0000

In this episode of Disability and... choreographer and artistic director of Cathy Waller Company, Cathy Waller chats with writer, artist and activist Jess Thom about her recent experience of claiming Access to Work.
Cathy Waller Company works in partnership with disability arts online to deliver Decode, which is a vital service helping disabled creatives to navigate the Access to Work application process.

You can find Disability Arts Online's Access to work guide at disabilityarts.online/atw
Find out more about Decode disabilityarts.online/decode
The postal address for Access to Work is: Access to Work Service Centre, Harrow Jobcentre, Mail Handling Site A, Wolverhampton, WV98 1JE

Disability and...Survivor Writing with Jet Moon

Disability Arts Online — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 10:09:17 +0000

This month DAO Founding Editor Colin Hambrook is joined on the Disability and... podcast by writer and activist Jet Moon. They discuss Jet's You Are Here project, an online resource which shares interviews and creative output from a survivor's writing group.

Disability and...Advertising with Alison Wilde and Ella Houston

Disability Arts Online — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 13:57:26 +0000

In this months episode of Disability and... Dr Alison Wilde, an Assistant Professor of Social Sciences at Northumbria University, chats with Dr Ella Houston, a senior lecturer in Disability Studies at Liverpool Hope University, about her book Advertising Disability.

Disability and...Towards New Worlds with Joanne Coates and Louise Mclachlan

Disability Arts Online — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 11:08:34 +0000

This month on Disability and...curator Aidan Moesby chats to artists Joanne Coates and Louise Mclachlan about their participation in Towards New Worlds, a 'groundbreaking' exhibition of 15 disabled, D/deaf and neurodivergent artists which Aidan co-curated at Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art. Themes from the discussion include identity, the power of photography to tell stories, and the importance of safe spaces like Towards New Worlds for disabled artists.

Disability and...The Affirmation Model with Colin Cameron

Disability Arts Online — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 14:30:26 +0000

This month, Colin Hambrook talks to Dr Colin Cameron, who is an Assistant Professor at Northumbria University about The Affirmation Model of disability and his critique of the ableism at the heart of the Equality Act 2010.

Disability and…Three Years with Mind the Gap with Colin Hambrook & Paul Wilshaw

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Tue, 13 May 2025 07:57:33 +0000

This month, Colin Hambrook, Founding Editor of Disability Arts Online, and Paul Wilshaw, Engagement and Advocacy Worker at Mind the Gap, look back at the last three years of the Disability and… podcast.
Going forward, Disability and… will be produced solely by Disability Arts Online, while Mind the Gap will launch their own bi-monthly podcast.
Colin and Paul talk about their favourite interviews and what producing the podcast has meant to them.

Disability and...Dwarfism Arts and Advocacy with Steph Robson and Erin Pritchard

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:33:33 +0000

In this episode Steph Robson is joined by academic and author Erin Pritchard to talk about Erin's latest book 'Dwarfism, Arts and Advocacy: Creating Our Own Positive Identity'.

Disability and...Documental Theatre with Lucy Bell and Naomi Turner

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 15:47:22 +0000

This month, Mind the Gap’s Assistant Producer Paul Wilshaw chats with writer Lucy Bell and Producer Naomi Turner of Documental Theatre. They look at the importance of the role of a Creative Producer, their latest project, ‘Mary and the Matrons’ and the opportunities for learning disabled people in the Southwest.

Disability and...Archive Stories with Ellen Renton

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 13:15:33 +0000

This month Disability Arts Online's Founding Editor Colin Hambrook speaks to poet, performer and theatre maker Ellen Renton.
Ellen talks about Archive Stories, a project she is working on as part of a collective, creating work in response to both the Paralympic Heritage Trust archive and the National Disability Arts Collection Archive (NDACA).

Disability and...The Special Olympics with Ella and Tim Curtis

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 11:14:22 +0000

On this months podcast, Mind The Gap’s Associate Producer Paul Wilshaw chats with Ella and Tim Curtis. Ella is a Special Olympics cycling gold medallist and she is coached by her father Tim. They talk about Ella's cycling journey and the differences between the Special Olympics and Paralympics.

Disability and...Neurodivergence in Literature with Caimh CK McDonnell and Elaine Ofori

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Tue, 15 Oct 2024 08:57:36 +0000

This month DAO journalist Will Reynolds spoke to Irish author Caimh CK McDonnell and his wife Elaine Ofori. Together, they talk about their independent publishing company, its output, disability, political correctness and the reasons why Caimh has given up stand up comedy for dog walking.

Disability and...Performance Academy with Karen Bartholomew and Toby Ross

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 15:25:13 +0000

This month, Mind the Gap’s Associate Producer Paul Wilshaw chats with student actor Toby Ross and tutor in dance Karen Bartholomew about Mind the Gap’s Performance Academy accredited course.

Disability and...DAM in Venice with Tony Heaton

Disability Ars Online and Mind the Gap — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 11:52:02 +0000

This month founder and senior editor of Disability Arts Online, Colin Hambrook, chats with artist and activist Tony Heaton, about the Shape Disability Arts Movement in Venice exhibition, Crip Arte Spazio. They discuss how disability arts impacted on the social and political landscape of the 90s.

Disability and...Birdie with Emily Blackwell and Charlotte Jones

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 15:19:03 +0000

Paul Wilshaw, Assistant Producer at Mind the Gap talks to Emily Blackwell and Charlotte Jones about Mind the Gap's touring outdoor show Birdie and access when working with artists with neurodivergent or learning disabled artists.

Disability and...Historical Characters with Arthur Hughes

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Tue, 28 May 2024 16:27:27 +0000

This month Disability Arts Online's Founding Editor Colin Hambrook chats with actor Arthur Hughes about his leading role in the newly released Disney+ Tudor spy thriller Shardlake.

This podcast is in memory of Shardlake's creator C.J. Sansom who sadly passed away shortly after this podcast episode was recorded.

Disability and...Cutting Edge Theatre with Suzanne Lofthus and Abigail Brydon

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 08:55:13 +0000

This month Paul Wilshaw, Associate producer at Mind the Gap talks to Cutting Edge Theatre's Artistic Director Suzanne Lofthus and Associate Artist Abigail Brydon about the work they do in Scotland.

Disability and...CRIPtic Arts with Jamie Hale

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 14:25:35 +0000

This month on the Disability And... podcast, Disability Arts Online's Founding Editor Colin Hambrook talks to writer and Chief Executive of CRIPtic Arts, Jamie Hale, about how CRIPtic came into existence and their thoughts and approaches when working with disabled collaborators.

Disability and...Mental Health with James Leadbitter

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 14:36:16 +0000

This month, Mind the Gap’s Associate Producer Paul Wilshaw chats with artist and activist James Leadbitter, a.k.a. the Vacuum Cleaner, about his work around the topic of mental health, his work abroad, and how the arts help support people's mental health. This podcast contains some strong language.

James Leadbitter's website.

Disability and...Climate Change with AlanJames Burns and Julia Watts Belser

Disability Arts Online and Mind The Gap — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 12:55:52 +0000

This month Disability Arts Online have been taken over by audio visual artist, curator and producer AlanJames Burns. As part of their content takeover, AlanJames talks with Professor Julia Watts Belser who is a professor of Jewish Studies and Disability Studies at Georgetown University. They discuss their experiences as creative practitioners, members of the disability community, and as climate activists.

Disability and...Pantomimes with Chris Hannon

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 14:11:11 +0000

This month Mind The Gap's Associate Producer Paul Wilshaw chats with writer and actor Chris Hannon about the representation of disability in pantomimes and how Chris makes pantos more inclusive.
Chris has acted in Coronation Street and Doctors and for the past 13 years has been the Dame in the Wakefield Theatres panto.

Disability and...Cultural Identity with Eleanor Lisney and Eric Wu

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 14:56:42 +0000

This month Eleanor Lisney and Eric Wu are in conversation. Eleanor Lisney is a Disability Arts Online board member, she's also a co-founder of disabled women's collective Sisters of Frida and of Culture Access CIC. Eric Wu is a nutrition and dietetics student and mental health community organiser at King's College, London. Eleanor and Eric discuss cultural identities within the East and Southeast Asian communities.

Disability and...Playwriting with Daniel Foulds and Leanna Benjamin

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 14:12:35 +0000

This month, Mind the Gap Associate Artist Daniel Foulds chats with playwright and activist Leanna Benjamin about her experiences of being on the Graeae ‘Introduction to Playwrighting’ course, being ‘Artist for Change’ at Leeds Playhouse, and the barriers she faces in the theatre industry.

Disability and...Classical Music with Baluji Shrivastav

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 16:33:10 +0000

This month on the Disability And...podcast, founding editor of Disability Arts Online Colin Hambrook chats with Baluji and Linda Shrivastav about the Inner Vision Orchestra, Jazz Orient, and Dot Aware: a wearable braille device to assist visually impaired musicians in the working environment.

Disability and...Disability Pride with Daniel Foulds

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 09:58:45 +0000

On the 50th Disability and...Podcast, Mind the Gap's Assistant Producer Paul Wilshaw chats to learning-disabled writer and researcher Daniel Foulds about Disability Pride Month, identity politics and finding solidarity through the difficulties of managing multiple impairments.

Disability and...Intersectionality with Jasmin Thien

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 13:40:41 +0000

This month on the Disability and...Podcast, founding editor of Disability Arts Online, Colin Hambrook, chats with actor, writer, poet and comedian Jasmin Thien. Jasmin reflects on her intersectional experience of the performing arts as a disabled migrant to the UK, of Chinese heritage. They also discuss how Jasmin got into the arts and her recent debut as an actor with Extant Theatre’s Super Power Panto.

Disability and...Education with Matthew Reason and Melissa Conyers

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 15:48:21 +0000

This month, Mind the Gap’s Assistant Producer Paul Wilshaw chats with Professor of Theatre at York St John’s University, Matthew Reason and Mind the Gap's Head of Learning & Support Melissa Conyers about University education and how the two organisations have come together to create an accredited course in theatre for people with learning disabilities and autism.

Disability and...Audiobooks with Will Reynolds

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Fri, 26 May 2023 01:59:00 +0000

This month, Disability Arts Online founding editor Colin Hambrook chats with writer and activist Will Reynolds about audiobooks, and the importance they have in his life.

Disability and...Leadership and Networking with TripleC

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 15:13:34 +0000

This month Paul Wilshaw chats with founders of TripleC and the Disability Artists Network Community (DANC) Cherylee Houston and Melissa Johns. He asks them about their careers as actors and how their experiences led to the formation of Triple C and DANC. This podcast contains some strong language.

TripleC website

Disability and...Regional Voices with Vici Wreford-Sinnott and Steph Robson

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Wed, 29 Mar 2023 08:56:01 +0000

This month, artist and creative practitioner Steph Robson, aka Hello Little Lady, chats with award-winning theatre maker and equality strategist, Vici Wreford-Sinnott. Steph asks Vici about the importance of regional identity, the Northeast's role in disability arts history, and the current regional and national landscape for disabled artists.

Related links:

Vici's theatre company Little Cog's website.

Steph's blog, Hello Little Lady.

Disability and...Making a Career in Performance with Rob Ewens

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 11:42:08 +0000

This month, Mind the Gap's Associate Producer Paul Wilshaw, chats with theatre and TV freelance actor Rob Ewens about some of his successes on screen and stage.

Disability and...Changes in the Visual Arts Sector with Mike Layward

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 17:29:13 +0000

This month, DAO Founding Editor Colin Hambrook chats with Disability Arts Shropshire's (DASH) recently-retired Artistic Director Mike Layward about changes within the visual arts sector that he's observed over his 25 years with DASH.

Disability and...Co-authorship with Back to Back Theatre

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 13:57:00 +0000

This month, Mind the Gap's Associate Producer Paul Wilshaw speaks to Touring Director Tamara Searle and Ensemble Member Scott Price from the award-winning Australian theatre company Back to Back Theatre, about the company and its recent UK tour of The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes.

Disability and...Sustainable and caring practices with Omikemi and Priya Mistry

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 09:40:32 +0000

This month writer, workshop facilitator and creative mentor, Omikemi and multidisciplinary artist, socially engaged practitioner and creative producer, Priya Mistry, aka whatsthebigmistry, chat about sustainable and caring approaches to the arts. Both are members of the Onyx Collective, a group of artists supported by Disability Arts Online who share the lived experience of disability and racism. This podcast contains some strong language.

Disability and...Inclusive Policy with Leeds Playhouse

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Fri, 21 Oct 2022 11:06:42 +0000

This month, Paul Wilshaw chats with CEO and Artistic Director James Brining and Deputy Artistic Director Amy Leach of Leeds Playhouse about their inclusive policies, their engagement with Ramps on the Moon, and how they dealt with the first lockdown.

More information about Leeds Playhouse can be found here.

More information about Ramps on the Moon can be found here.

LIVE: Disability and...2012's Legacy with Tarik Elmoutawakil, Deborah Williams and Kaite O'Reilly

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 11:35:33 +0000

A special live edition of the Disability...And podcast, recorded at the Southbank Centre's Unlimited Festival 2022. Disability Arts Online founding editor Colin Hambrook is joined by writer, programmer and creative producer Tarek Elmoutawakil, multi-award winning poet, playwright and dramaturg, Kaite O'Reilly, and policy maker and theatre maker, Deborah Williams, for a lively debate about significant cultural moments that have shifted the narrative over the last decade. This podcast contains some strong language.

We would like to thank the Southbank Centre and their staff for their support on this podcast. However, at the time of our event we also learnt that our Associate artist whatsthebigmistry's work The Empire's Old Clothes was cancelled in light of the death of the Queen and we would like to make it clear we strongly disagree with this decision and would like to share solidarity with the artists whose work was pulled from the Unlimited Festival as a result. We have issued a public statement here.

Speaker biographies:

Tarik Elmoutawakil is an artist, programmer and creative producer as well as Founder and Co-Artistic Director at Marlborough Productions in Brighton, the UK’s only performing arts orgnasiation dedicated to intersectional queer arts. His current public work is entitled 'Brownton Abbey', an evolving Afro-Futures Performance Party that centres disabled QTIPOC (queer, trans and intersex People of Colour). Brownton Abbey reclaims and reinterprets QTIPOC spirituality and ritual, channelling it into an out-of-this-world, accessible party. Tarik is plugged into a network of disabled qtipoc artivists across the globe, contributing to an ongoing movement to reshape access and leadership. A spirited public speaker, Tarik uses his joyous brand of activism wherever he can to transform the perception and treatment of marginalised QTIPOC.

Kaite O’Reilly is a multi-award winning poet, playwright and dramaturg, who writes for radio, screen and live performance. Prizes include the Peggy Ramsay Award, Manchester Theatre Award, Theatre-Wales Award and the Ted Hughes Award for new works in Poetry for Persians (National Theatre Wales). She is a two time finalist in the International James Tait Black Prize for Innovation in Drama (2012, 2019) and The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. She was honoured in the 2017/18 International Eliot Hayes Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dramaturgy for her work in ‘Alternative dramaturgies informed by a Deaf and disability perspective.’. She works internationally, her work translated into fifteen languages worldwide, and is part of the visiting faculty teaching intercultural dramaturgy at ITI: Intercultural Theatre Institute, in Singapore. She was the resident dramaturg/playwright of The Llanarth Group for many years, collaborating with the director, performer and actor-trainer Phillip Zarrilli. Kaite’s plays Atypical Plays for Atypical Actors and The ‘d’ Monologues are published by Oberon/Methuen/ Bloomsbury. Her first feature film, The Almond and the Seahorse with Mad as Birds films, will be released in 2022, featuring Rebel Wilson and Charlotte Gainsbourg. www.kaiteoreilly.com

Deborah Williams started as the Executive Director at Creative Diversity Network in November 2016, leading on organisational development and business planning. Deborah brings over 30 years’ experience working above and below the line in television, film and theatre, as well as policy development across the wider creative and cultural industries. She is an adviser to the UN and UNICEF on the rights of disabled people to cultural activities. She previously designed the BFI diversity standards and Arts Council England’s equality analysis process; for public sector equality duty compliance. As well as sitting on panels and steering groups for many organisations, Deborah is known in her own right as an artist provocateur having won awards and nominations nationally and internationally. Her work in theatre is acknowledged as a catalyst for challenge and change in perceptions of disability and difference. In 2019 she was awarded the Life Time Achievement award from Inclusive Companies for her body of work in the area of diversity and culture. She is a Disabled Powerlister 2018 and 2019.

Disability and...Television Successes with George Webster and Liam Bairstow

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Mon, 29 Aug 2022 15:50:36 +0000

This month, Mind the Gap's Assistant Producer Paul Wilshaw chats with CBeebies presenter George Webster and Coronation Street's Alex Warner, Liam Bairstow. He asks them about how they got started in acting, their careers and what their thoughts are about disability representation in television and film.

Disability and...The Cost of Living Crisis with the Trussell Trust

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 10:59:00 +0000

Emma Greenwood talks about the changes in food bank need since the pandemic and cost of living crisis, particularly for communities of disabled people. She expands on the kinds of impossible decisions people who walk through the doors of food banks are having to face and the support, other than emergency food, that food banks in the Trussell trust network provide to people facing financial hardship.

Find out more: The Trussell Trust - Stop UK Hunger

Take action: Cost of Surviving - The Trussell Trust

Disability and...Mind the Gap

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Sat, 25 Jun 2022 16:39:05 +0000

This month, Mind the Gap's Assistant Producer, Paul Wilshaw chats with Executive Director, Julia Skelton about the company and its achievements.

Disability and...Project Artworks

Disability Arts Online and Mind the Gap — Wed, 25 May 2022 15:21:57 +0000

This month, Michael McEwan talks to Kate Adams and Esther Springett, about the innovative visual arts organisation and Turner Prize nominees, Project Artworks.

Disability and...the last three years with Colin Hambrook & Nickie Miles-Wildin

DAO and Graeae — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 14:52:35 +0000

This month, Disability Arts Online's Editor Colin Hambrook speaks to Graeae's former Associate Director, Nickie Miles-Wildin about the last three years of the Disability and...Podcast. Graeae will be stepping aside from the podcast after this episode and Mind the Gap will be welcomed as new partners as of next month. Colin and Nicky talk about their experiences of podcasting for the first time, their highlights from the last three years, and the importance of the podcast for the disability arts community.

Disability and...I am a person with Britny Virginia & Sonny Nwachukwu

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 11:53:23 +0000

This month Sonny Nwachukwu chats with Britny Virginia, both Graeae Associate Artists, about Britny's artistic practice and career journey so far.

Disability and...Confidence with Lachi

DAO and Graeae — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 09:18:31 +0000

This month, Disability Arts Online's Assistant Editor Joe Turnbull chats with writer, singer and disability campaigner Lachi, about her current project RAMPD and her other achievements. This podcast contains strong language.

Lachi's website.
Recording Artists and Music Professionals with Disabilities (RAMPD).

Disability and... Social Change with Kate Lovell and Robyn Bowyer

DAO and Graeae — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 11:25:21 +0000

This month, Graeae's Associate Artist Kate Lovell chats with Graeae's trainee producer Robyn Bowyer about art and theatre and how it can inform social change.

Disability and...the art of Connection with Letty McHugh

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 19 Nov 2021 10:24:57 +0000

This month, founding Editor of Disability Arts Online, Colin Hambrook, chats with artist and writer Letty McHugh, who is currently an associate artist with Disability Arts Online. Letty talks about her Disability Arts Online project the Book of Hours, and her thinking around art as a way of creating meaningful connections.

Disability and...SciFi with Zuleika Lebow and Kyla Harris

DAO and Graeae — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:05:48 +0000

This month, Disability Arts Online Guest Editor, Zuleika Lebow chats with artist Kyla Harris about SciFi and her wheelchair, Edna. This episode contains references to ableism and strong language.

Disability and...Neurodiversity with Mike Faulkner

DAO and Graeae — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 11:00:00 +0000

This month, Disability Arts Online's Editor, Colin Hambrook chats to artist and climate activist, Mike Faulkner about Disability and...Neurodiversity

Disability and...the Paralympics with Fran Brown

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 07:43:11 +0000

This month, Graeae's associate director Nickie Miles-Wildin chats with paratriathlete, paracyclist, physiotherapist, percussionist and two times world paraclimbing champion, Fran Brown. Fran tells us all about her sporting career ahead of competing for GB in the paratriathlon at the Tokyo Paralympic Games this summer.

Disability and...Different Stories with Natasha Sutton Williams and EJ Scott

DAO and Graeae — Tue, 13 Jul 2021 09:45:27 +0000

This month, Natasha Sutton Williams and EJ Scott chat about different voices, a research project initiated by the Ditchling Museum of Arts and Craft in partnership with Disability Arts Online. They explore the careers of women artists of the 20th century's Art and Crafts movement, who were associated with this small but significant museum in rural Sussex.

Disability and... Directing with Jenny Sealey and Ewan Marshall

DAO and Graeae — Mon, 14 Jun 2021 08:14:25 +0000

This month Graeae’s young associate Ayzah Ahmed chats to Graeae’s current Artistic Director Jenny Sealey and past Graeae Artistic Director Ewan Marshall (1991-1997) about their memories of the company and their experiences of directing.

Disability and...History with Jessica Secmezsoy-Urquhart

DAO and Graeae — Mon, 10 May 2021 12:05:29 +0000

This month, Disability Arts Online's Assistant Editor Joe Turnbull chats with writer/filmmaker, Jessica Secmezsoy-Urquhart about their PhD research into the Royal Courts of the Renaissance Period and the role that disability played during the era.

Jessica's video's for BBC Scotland's The Social: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07l3ldn
Follow Jessica on Twitter: @JessicasuAKA
Instagram: @jessicaaka

Disability and... Ensemble with Ensemble Graduates

DAO and Graeae — Mon, 12 Apr 2021 09:53:29 +0000

On this month's podcast Graeae's Creative Learning Director, Jodi-Alissa Bickerton, chats to Ensemble Graduates about their experience on Graeae's Ensemble theatre makers training programme which will be be running again this September 2021.

Disability and...Electric Bodies with Allan Sutherland

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 14:12:03 +0000

This month Colin Hambrook, editor of Disability Arts Online, chats with writer and performance poet, Allan Sutherland, about the launch of 'Electric Bodies' - a collection of poems based on the lives of eight disabled artists. This podcast contains some strong language.

Disability and... Graeae with Nabil Shaban

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 11:36:22 +0000

This month to celebrate Graeae turning 40, Associate Director Nickie Miles-Wildin chats to co-founder of Graeae Theatre Nabil Shaban about his ambition of being an actor and a writer and what led him to set up Graeae. This podcast contains some strong language.

Disability and...Crip Tales with Mat Fraser

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 11:36:56 +0000

This month, Colin Hambrook chats with actor and producer Mat Fraser, about Crip Tales, a series of six disability-led monologues curated by Mat and recently broadcast on the BBC. This podcast contains strong language.

Disability and... Access Into with Ruth Madeley

DAO and Graeae — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 09:36:05 +0000

To celebrate Disability History Month, Nickie Miles-Wildin chats to actor, writer and disability activist, Ruth Madeley about Disability And... Access Into. Ruth tells us her story into acting, how she found out about being nominated for a BAFTA and what she's been working on during lockdown.

Disability and... Writing with Jack Thorne

DAO and Graeae — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 10:43:58 +0000

This month Graeae’s Associate Director, Nickie Miles-Wildin chats with playwright, screenwriter and Graeae Patron Jack Thorne.
Jack tells us about what he’s been up to during lockdown, including working with Graeae on Crips without Constraints. He discusses his love for writing, his journey into writing for Theatre and TV and his on going relationship with Graeae.

Disability and...Dyslexia with Benedict Phillips

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 09:35:58 +0000

To celebrate dyslexia awareness week, Colin Hambrook, editor of Disability Arts Online chats with Benedict Phillips artist and activist about his work, The Agender of the Agresiv Dislecksick, which has just had its 25th anniversary. Benedict will be giving a performance of the work, followed by a Q&A with Colin and artist and academic Aby Watson on Wednesday 7 October at 3pm.

Colin published Benedict's seminal manifesto as Editor of Disability Arts in London Magazine, back in September 1995. The work marked the beginnings of Benedict's long career as an artist and also his first engagement with the Disability Arts community. The pair have remained in touch ever since and here they discuss a raft of Benedict's major artworks which he has produced over the years.

Disability and...The Mainstream with Robert Softley Gale

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 04 Sep 2020 15:02:43 +0000

This month Joe Turnbull, assistant editor of Disability Arts Online chats with Robert Softley Gale, writer, actor, activist, and Artistic Director of Birds of Paradise Theatre Company, about Disability And...the Mainstream. This podcast contains strong language.

Disability and...Film with Oska Bright

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 31 Jul 2020 10:16:13 +0000

For Disability And...Film Carousel's David Parker speaks to Oska Bright Lead Programmer, Matthew Hellet about his long-running history with the festival, the exciting developments in learning-disability film and their new lockdown programme Oska Bites. There are also cameo appearances from learning-disabled filmmakers Mattie Kennedy and Hugo Carlson.

Disability and... Reasons To Be Cheerful with John Kelly, Stephen Lloyd and Jude Mahon

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 13:30:00 +0000

This month's episode is on Disability And....Reasons To Be Cheerful. John Kelly chats with Stephen Lloyd and Jude Mahon about Graeae's stage show Reasons To Be Cheerful. They talk about the journey they have been on over the last ten years, along with a few cheeky stories and what the show has meant to them and their audiences.

You can watch Graeae's hit musical Reasons To Be Cheerful (with captions) until the 3rd August 2020. Visit graeae.org. An audio described version is also available via the website.

Disability and...Race with Alexandrina Hemsley and Deborah Williams

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 05 Jun 2020 09:30:00 +0000

On this month's podcast previous Disability Arts Online Guest Editor Alexandrina Hemsley speaks to writer, producer, digital composer and equality/diversity advocate Deborah Williams. They talk about the historic exclusion of artists of colour from both the mainstream and disability arts worlds, coping strategies and some of the artists working today who they admire.

Disability and...Working-Class LGBTQIA+ Perspectives

DAO and Graeae — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 12:04:20 +0000

Sandra Alland talks to Shafiq Ghafoor, Mattie Kennedy and Cate Lauder about Disability and...working-class LGBTQIA+ perspectives on the arts in Scotland. Recorded at National Theatre of Scotland's Rockvilla studios, Sandra and their guests discuss community, barriers for multiply-marginalised people in the Scottish arts scene, and the arts futures they're dreaming up. Links: The Edinburgh Samba School https://www.edinburghsambaschool.org/ LGBT Health and Wellbeing https://www.lgbthealth.org.uk/ Pilton Video http://www.piltonvideoarchive.org/ Oska Bright Film Festival https://oskabright.org/ Matthew Hellett's Mrs Sparkle https://vimeo.com/11961253 Vogue Scotland https://www.facebook.com/VogueScotland/

Disability and...Performing with Sarah Gordy

DAO and Graeae — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:28:09 +0000

For episode 11 of the Disability And… Podcast, Graeae’s Associate Director Nickie Miles-Wildin chats to actress Sarah Gordy on Disability and Performing. Sarah talks about her role in Jellyfish at the National Theatre and her various TV roles including Call the Midwife and her first professional job on Peak Practice.

Disability and...Curation part 2 with Contested Spaces panelists

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 08:38:30 +0000

Episode 10 of the Disability And...Podcast features excerpts from Disability Arts Online’s Contested Spaces panel debate, which took place at The Foundry, London in January 2020. It was chaired by artist and curator, Aidan Moesby. On the panel was curator and founder of Jennifer Lauren Gallery, Jennifer Gilbert, Senior Curator of Middlesborough Institute of Modern Art, Elinor Morgan and artist Ashokkumar Mistry. It also has some reflections from the audience.

Disability and...The Stories We Tell with Matilda Ibini and Jodi-Alissa Bickerton

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 10:35:36 +0000

For episode 9 of the Disability And.. Podcast, Graeae’s Creative Learning Director chats to theatre maker and filmmaker, Matilda Ibini about Disability and the Stories We Tell. Matilda tells us how she got into writing, the barriers she’s faced as a writer and the most precious advice she’s ever received! This podcast contains some strong language.

Disability and...Curation with Aidan Moesby and Jennifer Gilbert

DAO and Graeae — Mon, 16 Dec 2019 13:02:07 +0000

For episode 8 of the Disability And...Podcast Disability Arts Online Associate Artist and freelance curator Aidan Moesby speaks to curator and founder of Jennifer Lauren Gallery, Jennifer Gilbert about Disability and...Curation. Aidan and Jennifer discuss the nature of curation, barriers to visual art for disabled artists, lack of representation and possible solutions to getting more disabled artists in mainstream visual art settings. With special thanks this month to Chapel FM in Leeds, for hosting the conversation. This podcast contains some strong language. On 9 January 2020 at the Foundry, London, Aidan and Jennifer will be joined by Elinor Morgan (Middlesborough Institute for Modern Art) and Ashok Mistry (freelance artist) for Contested Spaces: a curatorial conversation. Book your free ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/contested-spaces-a-curatorial-conversation-tickets-83981526005? A transcript of this podcast is available here: https://disabilityarts.online/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Disability-and-Curation-Podcast-Final-Transcript.docx The Jennifer Lauren Gallery website: https://www.jenniferlaurengallery.com/ Aidan's website: https://www.aidanmoesby.co.uk/

Disability and...Politics with Tanni Grey-Thompson and Mandy Colleran

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 10:38:25 +0000

For Episode 7, Graeae’s Creative Learning Director, Jodi-Alissa Bickerton, is joined by politician, disability activist and winner of 11 gold Paralympic medals, Baroness Grey-Thompson. Also joining Jodi is Mandy Colleran, a comic, writer, actress and disability arts activist. This podcast includes the celebration of disabled women, key moments of the roles they have played in national politics and disability rights movement and the best thing about being disabled!

Disability and...Activism with Dennis Queen

DAO and Graeae — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 16:07:35 +0000

This month, Disability Arts Online's Editor, Colin Hambrook, chats with musician and grassroots activist, Dennis Queen on Disability and...Activism. Dennis is a veteran of the Disability Rights Movement and has long been involved with Disabled People Against the Cuts (DPAC), Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People (GMCDP) and Not Dead Yet. Dennis speaks to Colin about past campaigns and the recent controversy around an inaccessible monument installed in Manchester to commemorate the Peterloo Massacre.

Disability and...Change with Touretteshero (Jess Thom)

DAO and Graeae — Mon, 30 Sep 2019 11:57:34 +0000

For episode 5, Graeae’s Associate Director Nickie Miles-Wildin speaks to Jess Thom, an artist, theatremaker and co-founder of acclaimed company Touretteshero, which celebrates and shares the creativity and humour of Tourettes in an accessible way. Jess talks about the idea behind Touretteshero, the importance of relaxed performances and the impact recent changes in policy have had on disabled people. This podcast contains strong language.

Disability and...Aesthetics with Claire Cunningham

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 23 Aug 2019 15:59:53 +0000

Disability Arts Online’s Assistant Editor, Joe Turnbull speaks internationally-renowned Scottish choreographer and performer, Claire Cunningham, who is currently a Factory Artist with Tanzhaus NRW in Düsseldorf, and Associate Artist at The Place, London. She talks about her rejection of contemporary dance’s traditional aesthetics and training techniques, the challenges of working internationally and the responsibility she feels as one of the UK’s most established disabled choreographers.

Disability and...Comedy with Jackie Hagan

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 11:32:08 +0000

Graeae Associate Director Nickie Miles-Wildin talks to acclaimed playwright, comedian and performance poet Jackie Hagan. A graduate of Graeae's Write to Play programme, she is most well-known for her work Cosmic Scallies, Some People Have Too Many Legs and The Forest of Forgotten Discos. She talks about how being a disabled artist has influenced her work, and reflects on some of her past projects. This podcast contains some strong language. Edited by Ian Rattray for Clear Voice Enterprises. A transcript is available to download here: https://graeae.org/disability-arts-online-graeae-present-the-disability-and-podcast/

Disability and...Psychiatry with gobscure

DAO and Graeae — Thu, 27 Jun 2019 16:05:29 +0000

Writer, visual and performance artist, gobscure talks to Disability Arts Online's Editor, Colin Hambrook about psychiatry through the lens of the social model of disability. They discuss the power of language, the languages around mental health and how gobscure's writing has been influenced by that of historical writers such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Jessie Kesson, and John Clare, in telling stories about creative resistance. This podcast contains some strong language. A transcript of this podcast (in word format) is available to read or download at: https://disabilityarts.online/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Episode-2-gobscure-transcript.docx www.disabilityarts.online www.graeae.org Podcast edited by Ian Rattray for Clear Voice Enterprises. www.clearvoiceenterprises.org

Disability and...Representation with Mat Fraser and Amit Sharma

DAO and Graeae — Fri, 17 May 2019 11:45:53 +0000

Writer, actor, campaigner and Graeae Patron Mat Fraser, talks to former Associate Director of Graeae (recently appointed Deputy Artistic Director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre) about the visibility and representation of disability within film, television and theatre. How have things changed over the last 40 years? And how much further do we have to go? This podcast contains some strong language. A transcript of this podcast (in word format) is available to read or download at: https://graeae.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Mat-Fraser-Transcript-FINAL.docx www.disabilityarts.online www.graeae.org Podcast edited by Ian Rattray for Clear Voice Enterprises. www.clearvoiceenterprises.org