This page expands on some of the questions and ideas at the heart of Disjunction.

Who can be an artist?

For centuries, stigma and discrimination against disabled people has been in-built into western society. This has influenced the lack of disability inclusion throughout historical and contemporary art. As a result, there is a profound underrepresentation of disabled artists across mainstream arts and culture.

The contemporary art world is trying to become more inclusive. But many systemic barriers are at play, and it is clear there is still a long way to go. Outside of specialist supported studios such as Tutti Arts. There are very few avenues for learning disabled and neurodiverse artists to access professional development and career opportunities. What will it take for learning disabled and neurodiverse artists to move from the margins to be at the centre of the art world?

Our framework

To redress inequity for learning disabled and neurodiverse artists, it is vital to understand fundamental systemic barriers. Issues of discrimination are not only individual problems, but inherent problems with the social systems we live in. Understanding our framework can help to support a solutions-oriented approach for people seeking to create change.

The social model of disability

The social model of disability is based on equality and human rights. It was developed by disabled people over 40 years ago, as part of a grassroots disability rights movement.
The social model is used to identify and take action against discrimination. It recognises that people are disabled by barriers created by society, not by a medical condition or impairment. It recognises people’s full participation as citizens. The word ‘disability’ means barriers and discrimination. The problem is NOT the individual. This approach involves everyone in identifying and removing barriers.
The social model of disability is now the internationally recognised way to view and address ‘disability’. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) marks the official paradigm shift in attitudes towards people with disability and approaches to disability concerns.

Disability Justice movement

Disability Justice is a social justice movement which focuses on examining disability and ableism as they relate to other forms of oppression and identity such as race, class and gender. This movement was initially conceived by Black, brown, queer and trans disabled members of the original Disability Justice Collective. This collective was founded in 2005 in San Francisco.

Disability Justice was partly developed in counter action to the disability rights movement. It takes a more comprehensive approach to help secure rights for disabled people by recognising the intersectionality of disabled people who belong to additional marginalised communities. These disabled people include: People of Colour, LBGTQIA+ people, and People who have had their ancestral lands stolen.

Disability arts culture

Disability arts culture is underpinned by a human rights self-determination framework. It builds on the social model of disability and Disability Justice to centre access and directly address discrimination and systemic exclusion.

Disability arts culture embraces the concept of disability pride, which values your whole self, experiences, and identities. It seeks to create culturally safe environments empowered by creative choice and control, and where disabled artists can thrive. It encourages disabled artists to develop their own understandings of the world and community. In this framework, disabled artists can reclaim the lens of storytelling and ideas to open up new possibilities. At its core, disability arts culture subverts the rules of society.

Disability allies

A disability ally is someone who supports equity for disabled people. Allies use their power and privilege to learn from disabled people to make direct and sustainable change. Importantly, they make space without speaking for the disabled person. Allyship is a powerful way of seeking social justice and promoting greater inclusivity of all marginalised populations, including disabled people.

‘Art sometimes begins and ends with questions.‘

– Allan Kaprow, 2001