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Art, activism and access

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Photographic portrait of a young person seated outside in a electric wheelchair looking to camera. Behind them are long grasses and shrubs lit from behind by a low sun.
Jamie Hale, Camilla Greenwell. Source: Wellcome Collection. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).

The disability arts scene seems to be blossoming right now, and Jamie Hale is excited. As a disabled artist and activist, they want to investigate the interactions between disability and technology, access and art, and discover ways to make their own work more inclusive. In conversation with fellow artists, Jamie explores the places where accessibility and creativity collide, and asks whether technology should be used to cure and mitigate, or to truly break barriers.

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The politics and power of audio-description

Traditional theatre audio-description often lets down artists and audiences. But, done well, it has the potential to be a force for creativity as well as accessibility.

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Disabled musicians and the fight to perform

Music might be the universal language, but unfortunately it doesn’t come with universal access. London-based artist Miss Jacqui discusses the barriers to her career with Jamie Hale.

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Talent, tech and visual art

Jamie Hale finds a combination of talent and technology are crucial when it comes to creating great visual art, but how do you keep working when your circumstances are in constant flux?

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Acting, disableism and inclusive theatre

Deaf theatre director Jenny Sealey discusses inclusivity, community and the resilience of disabled actors.

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Giving shape to sound

Fascinated by language and how music feels, Deaf rapper Signkid creates tracks that give shape to sound. He discusses inspiration, access and performing for all audiences, D/deaf and hearing alike.

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The freedom to provoke

Jamie Hale talks to performer and director Emma Selwyn about the joy of creating work that celebrates, rather than suppresses, autistic behaviours.

About the author

Photograph of a white person with short brown hair and a short beard. They are wearing glasses and a checked blue shirt.

Jamie Hale

(they/them)

Jamie is an artist, curator, and founder and artistic director of disability arts organisation CRIPtic Arts. They create poetry, comedy, scriptwriting and drama for page, stage and screen, and are currently directing a showcase at the Barbican Centre for autumn 2021 and a disability arts documentary. They have written for Wellcome Collection and the Guardian newspaper and have performed at venues including the Southbank Centre. Their poetry pamphlet, ‘Shield’, was published in January 2021.