The Evolve Symposium
24 January 2017
Aspex, New Theatre Royal and the Portsmouth Cultural Trust are delighted to present the ‘Evolve Symposium’.
‘Evolve’ is a consortium between Aspex, New Theatre Royal and Portsmouth Cultural Trust which seeks to provide opportunities for artists and audiences with disabilities.
Throughout a one-year pilot project, funded by Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, they have been developing artistic opportunities, exhibitions, workshops and residencies across the three venues.
The symposium, which will take place at New Theatre Royal on Tuesday 24 January, will discuss the use of language and labels within the arts, when working with people with SEN/D and on the autistic spectrum.
Confirmed speakers include: Joanne Bushnell, Director of Aspex; Jo Verrent, Unlimited; Jon Adams, artist; Sara Baldwin, Funky Llama Project, New Theatre Plymouth; Dominique De-Light, Director of Creative Future; Stopgap Dance Company and Kate Adams, Director of Project Artworks.
Ruth Kapadia, Relationship Manager, Diversity of Arts Council England will also be discussing the Arts Council’s approach to identity and labels when working with artists and audiences with disabilities, as well as the results of the recent diversity in the arts workforce survey, relating to barriers to participation.
The day will also comprise of two performances from Blue Apple, a disability dance company from Winchester and Drake Music, an organisation working in music, disability and technology.
Vicky Chapter, Participation & Learning Manager at Aspex, said: “One of the biggest challenges we have faced throughout this project has been around the language we use and labels that we put on both ourselves and other we work with.
This has led us to question how mainstream organisations can effectively support artists, improve accessibility for audiences and embed diversity within our work without the use of labels”.
Tickets for the ‘Evolve Symposium’ are now available for just £20.00 from the New Theatre Royal box office. This includes lunch provided by the theatre’s in-house café partners, Watkins and Faux.
For further information please contact [email protected] / 023 9277 8080
Notes
Aspex – Aspex has a 35-year track record of supporting emerging artists and engaging audiences, through the delivery of a programme of exhibitions, off-site projects and participatory opportunities. Artists such as Mona Hatoum, Richard Wilson and Susan Collis, all internationally acclaimed, received support from Aspex at an early point in their careers. This work has continued with projects including Emergency, an open submission biennial exhibition, offering key opportunities for artist exposure and professional development.
Since relocating to the waterfront at Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth in 2006, the gallery has focused on finding ways to meaningfully engage its visitors by facilitating connections with artists and revealing the creative process. The participation programme provides activities for toddlers through to pensioners, and its work with children with Special Educational Needs and Autism has been described as exemplary.
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation – The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is one of the largest independent grant-making foundations in the UK. Their aim is to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK both now and in the future. They fund the charitable activities of organisations that have the ideas and ability to achieve change for the better.
