Beyond Barriers in Dance
www.beyondbarriersindance.info
The Beyond Barriers in Dance website aims to draw attention to new research into how the dance sector can address barriers to progression and employment for disabled people.
The research, driven by People Dancing, Candoco Dance Company, Corali, Stopgap Dance Company and TIN Arts, was funded by Arts Council England and ultimately urges the dance sector to commit to change.
The website includes details of the research, the full report, and a useful short version (pdf link) that I think many should read. It concludes with some priorities and actions for the dance sector — too long to list here but see pages 24/25 in the short report.
This is an important appeal for change, and I hope it leads to meaningful action. However, it strikes me that more work is needed to identify easily captured metrics so that progress can be tracked and monitored. And surely a group composed of both disabled and non-disabled stakeholders should have long-term ownership of this progress.
What I hope is that Beyond Barriers in Dance becomes more than just a one-off platform to publicise a one-off report. Hopefully, it will evolve into a dynamic hub, serving not only as a GreatLink this year, but one that is useful in the medium and long term. Regardless of its future, this research represents an important first step, one we all need to reflect on, act upon and applaud.