The Stage

SBC and National join bid to boost arts’ disabled workers

Published Tuesday 24 October 2006 at 15:05 by Nuala Calvi

English Touring Theatre, the South Bank Centre and the National Theatre are among organisations taking part in a new pilot project to help tackle the “massive” shortage of disabled people in arts and cultural management.

The Disability Fast Track Scheme, being launched in January by the Independent Theatre Council and disability charity Shape, will provide ten people with 15 week placements in top arts companies as well as training and mentoring opportunities.

According to Shape, just 2% of people working in arts administration in London are disabled, despite disabled people making up 10% of the working age population. Chief executive Steve Mannix said: “You can count on the fingers of one hand the number of disabled people in management positions in the arts. We know there’s a massive shortage, and this is about creating a real opportunity for people, not just about work experience.

“We need to have good positive role models in management teams in order to change things and arts organisations themselves need to have people at management level who have direct experience of access and inclusion issues.”

The initiative is funded by the London Development Agency and is open to people who have transferable skills from other industries, as well as those who have an arts background.

It is modelled on the ITC’s successful fast track scheme for black and minority ethnic professionals, which has been running nationally since 2003 and organised placements for 105 people.

That scheme has led to people securing jobs at companies including Clean Break, the Albany, Shared Experience, Arts Council England, the BBC, the British Council, Kali Theatre and Birmingham Rep.

For more information, email lisa@shapearts.org.uk