This research would not be possible without the help of all the interviewees and preceding research. I, therefore, publish my abstract, conclusion and full bibliography below. You can request a copy of the research in full, which includes the literature review, methodology, findings and discussion by filling out the form below.

Creative Methodologies
to improve access

MA Arts and Cultural Enterprise, Dissertation, Published 8 December 2022.

Can Band 1 and 2 Arts Council England funded visual arts organisations in the National Portfolio employ creative methodologies to better provide accessible contents and programmes?

Abstract

This paper seeks to answer whether Band 1 and 2 Arts Council England (ACE) funded visual arts organisations in the National Portfolio can employ creative methodologies to better provide accessible contents and programmes, through exploring the motivations, challenges and limitations of these organisations. This research is grounded in ACE’s ‘Let’s Create’ Strategy (2020) which prioritises a shift towards inclusive practices as evidenced by their Creative Case for Diversity established in 2011, which as a public body responsible for the majority of public arts funding in England, has huge influence over the behaviours, ambitions and direction of the organisations they fund. As an institutional critique of the structures of National Portfolio Organisations (NPO), and of ACE itself, this research aims to investigate the structures, ideologies and attitudes that we as society consider accessible and the challenges organisations face in trying to meet these varied and multiple demands. In doing so it poses the hypothesis of considering alternative methods in the form of creative methodologies as a possible solution to organisational hurdles.

The qualitative data for this project was collected through conversations in the form of structured and semi-structured interviews with 14 NPO’s and four expert organisations and individuals.

With the rise in attention given to inclusive movements in society currently (such as Black Lives Matter, the disabled people’s movement, and trans, asexual and people of colour in the LGBT community), there is a fear of doing wrong or not being sufficiently inclusive which in turn paralyses organisations into inactivity. By analysing the challenges and difficulties organisations face, this study establishes the viability of creative methodologies for organisations with limited time, budget and resources encouraging organisations to find creative ways to maximise their inclusive practices, meet ACE funding requirements and provide accessible arts and culture to a broad public audience. Other findings include the need for attitudinal shifts, knowledge sharing amongst organisations with similar goals, the involvement of people with disabilities in the creation of provisions, the redefining of ability and taken-for-granted understandings of access, and the integration of access in the creative process.

This paper also argues for further research into alternative methodologies to provide access that place less strain on organisations’ resources and abolishes the emphasis on segregated provisions in favour of valuing differing abilities.

This study acts as an open invitation for ACE funded visual arts organisations in the National Portfolio to use their practice to their strength and to think creatively about new methodologies for access provisions.

Conclusion

This study aimed to establish creative methodologies usefulness supporting ACE funded Band 1 and 2 National Portfolio visual arts organisations to provide more accessible content. It aimed to assess the needs and challenges organisations face through interviewing NPOs and experts and whether the hypothesis of creative methodologies can support them in overcoming hurdles. What makes this study unique is its focus at organisational level, empowering organisations to act and develop provisions suitable to their resources and audiences.

The results from the interviews and case studies indicate creative methodologies potential in helping organisations overcome many perceived challenges with significance laying in practical suggestions and implementations. Most evident are the attitudinal changes

required before accessible provisions can be employed; with focus on progress rather than fear of wrongdoing. Greater emphasis is needed for alternative and different experiences, and provisions must be employed from anti-ableist perspectives removing the emphasis on normality. For organisations not doing so, this study provides evidence and permission, shared by those who are disabled or work closely with them, to provide what is possible whilst leading with transparency, to communicate authentically and to get creative.

This study expands on existing literature calling for more creative and ambitious methods and emphasises the possibilities of what the creative sector can offer accessible provisions, especially when operating outside existing guidelines, as demonstrated by the case studies (Kleege, 2018; Kudlick and Luby, 2019 and Partington, 2017). This is significant as it demonstrated gaps in instruction for accessible provisions for the arts, but also an opportunity for the sector to leverage their practices as a strength. The endorsement of creative strategies by experts, and NPOs’ curiosity of these methods, alongside the case study findings indicates need for creative approaches that create equitable experiences by being less mechanistic and more aligned with what artworks/programmes convey to non- disabled audiences. It must be noted that providing access creatively comes with responsibility to ensure inclusive environments are created, enabling equitable experiences. Additionally, this paper suggests consideration of different social contextual approaches to disability models, including the social model, beyond ‘just barrier removal’. This is significant within Britain, whose social model reliance contributes to some challenges. Despite recognition of the social model's strengths, considering alternative models alongside it is significant in moving organisations beyond hurdles and allowing new perspectives on inclusion to be developed that consider how individuals want to be seen within society.

Additionally, the importance of including disabled voices in devising provisions and decision making is significant in countering ableist beliefs (that they are unable to help themselves), and a key takeaway for NPOs. From the interview findings, desire to collaborate with disabled people and experts is an invitation to the sector to work together, sharing best practice for developing ways of experiencing programmes. With this finding new questions arise around consultation with people with disabilities and how to do so ethically. As Interviewee E stated: “development of a clearer plan of how you bring consultation into a process of developing access...is something that is really key still to develop” (2022).

The research findings are not only relevant to NPOs but also funding bodies like ACE who, as suggested by this research, drive attitudes. It became evident that prioritising inclusivity and diversity in strategies does not lead to an inclusive sector and that priorities without guidance and support leads to assumptions that current attempts are sufficient. Collecting superficial reports of demographic data implies definitions of inclusivity that do not serve everyone equitably. It therefore should be seen as a joint responsibility and funding hierarchies must not be ignored in the context of this study.

This study also presents additional research areas; the most obvious being the needs of those with differing abilities. What do they want from visual arts NPOs? How can differently abled people have a voice in movements towards inclusivity in sensitive and ethical ways? Who is responsible to lead on accessible provisions and who drives that shift? Throughout this research there was demonstrable need for guidelines on what accessibility means, generally and sector specific that needs further definition, publishing, and integration into organisations’ responsibilities, especially those receiving public funding. Most striking is the question ‘what next?’. Despite this research highlighting two case studies demonstrating progress within artistic practice, one question warranting further research remains: what are these creative methodologies and how can they be employed?

To me, this research evokes attitudes advocated by the experts interviewed; a sense of endless possibility and hope for a sector that has such potential to redefine experiences for people with different needs and abilities. It provides challenges to cultural workers, myself included, to question commonly accepted ways of working and experiencing, defining ability, and demonstrating a need to be creative. This research is a call to action for arts organisations to dissolve fears by leading with the intent of doing right by those differently abled and where traditional means of providing access present insurmountable hurdles, to get creative because that is what the sector does best.

Acknowledgements

It is with huge gratitude and appreciation that I would like to thank all the people that stood by my side and cheered me on through this process; my parents, whose belief in me replaced my own at countless times throughout; my partner, whose patience and support over the past two years was more than I could have hoped or thanked him for; and the countless people who give me confidence, inspired my passions for learning, the arts and the subject matter of this paper; Matthew McGrath, and the entire MA Arts and Cultural Enterprise Team, with special thanks to Charlotte Bonham-Carter, my supervisor, from whom I have learnt so much and Andy Marsh, without whom I would have never started this journey of completing an MA. I hope to build someone up the same way Andy Marsh and the Cultural and Enterprise Team did for me over the seven years I have known them. Thank you for making Central Saint Martins a safe space to learn, explore and fail.

I would also like to thank all my interviewees including Amanda Lynch, Mike Layward and Sheryll Catto and everyone that wished to remain anonymous, you have inspired me to write a paper very close to my heart and understand the importance of my own identity in the context of my work.

Bibliography

Alasuutari, P., Bickman, L., & Brannen, J. (2008). ‘The SAGE handbook of social research methods. SAGE Publications Ltd’, Retrieved 17 September 2022. Available at: https://methods.sagepub.com/book/the-sage-handbook-of-social-research-methods

Arts Council England (2017). ‘Guide to producing Equality Action Objectives and Plans for NPO’s’. Arts Council England Grant-in-Art and National Lottery Distribution. Retrieved 8 November 2022. Available at: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/equality-action-plan-guidance#t-in-page-nav-2

Arts Council England (2018). ‘How Arts Council England works with National Portfolio Organisations: Relationship Framework’. Arts Council England Grant-in-Art and National Lottery Distribution. Retrieved 8 November 2022. Available at: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/NPO_2018-22_Relationship_Framework.pdf

Arts Council England (2020). ‘Annual Report & Accounts For the Year Ended 31 March 2020’. Arts Council England Grant-in-Art and National Lottery Distribution. Retrieved 5 November 2022. Available at: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/download-file/ACE%20Annual%20Report%202019%202020.pdf

Barnes, C. (1999), ‘Disability Studies: New or not so new directions?’, Disability & Society, 14:4, pp. 577-580. Retrieved 20 June 2022. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09687599926136

Barnes, C. (2008), ‘Disability and the academy: A British Perspective’. Retrieved 15 June 2022. Available at: http://disability-studies.leeds.ac.uk/files/library/Barnes-paris-presentation.pdf.

Batey, M. (2012), ‘The measurement of creativity: from definitional consensus to the introduction of a new heuristic framework’. Creativity Research Journal 24, 1, pp.55-65

Brzuzy, S. (1997), ‘Deconstucting Disability’ Journal of Poverty, 1:1, pp.81-91, Retrieved 24 June 2022. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/action/showCitFormats?doi=10.1300%2FJ134v01n01_06

Cameron, C. (2014), ‘Disability Studies: a student’s guide’, London: SAGE Publications Ltd.

Carter, R. (2004), ‘Language and creativity: the art of common talk’. London: Routledge.

Cherney, J. (2011), ‘The Rhetoric of Ableism’, Disability and Rhetoric, 31, 3, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan Retrieved 22 August 2022, Available at: https://dsq-sds.org/article/view/1665/1606#endnoteref08

Civil Society Platform on Access to Culture (2009), ‘Policy Guidelines’, European Cultural Sector.

Dash Arts, ‘Team: Mike Layward’. Retrieved 29 September 2022. Available at: https://www.dasharts.org/team/mike-layward.html

Denzin, N. and Lincoln, Y. (2011) ‘The Sage Handbook of qualitative research (4th edn.)’, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Equality and Human Rights Commission (2018), ‘Understanding Equality’. Retrieved 20 August 2022. Available at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/secondary-education-resources/useful-information/understanding-equality

Finkelstein, V. (1980), ‘Attitudes and Disabled People: Issues for Discussion’, New York: World Rehabilitation Fund.

Finkelstein, V. (2001), ‘A Personal Journey into Disability Politics’, Leeds: University of Leeds, Centre for Disability Studies.

Ford Foundation Gallery (2022), ‘House Made of Tin (a socially distanced weaving performance), Raisa Kabir’. Online Video. Vimeo, October 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022. Available at: https://vimeo.com/754831665

Fortune, D. (2022), ‘Envisioning museums as welcoming spaces for belonging’, In ‘Leisure Communities: Rethinking Mutuality, Collective Identity and Belonging in the New Century’, London: Routledge.

Friedman, A. (2021), ‘Christine Sun Kim: On what listening looks like’, The Gentlewoman. Retrieved 5 October 2022. Available at: https://thegentlewoman.co.uk/library/christine-sun-kim

Fox, E. and Sparkes, J. (2021), ‘Curating for Change: Disabled People Leading in Museums’, Folkestone: Accentuate. Retrieved 14 June 2022. Available at: https://www.accentuateuk.org/domains/accentuate.org.uk/local/media/video/Curating_for_Change___Disabled_People_Leading_in_Museums.pdf

Gleeson, B. (1999), ‘Geographies of Disability’, London: Routledge.

Grech, S. (2009), ‘Disability, poverty and development: Critical reflections on the majority world debate’, Disability and Society, 24, 6, pp.77-784.

Grierson, E. and Brearley, L. (2009) ‘Creative Arts Research: Narratives of Methodologies and Practices’, Sense Publishers, Rotterdam.

Hall, S. ‘The Problem of Ideology-Marxism without Guarantees’, Journal of Communication Inquiry, 10, 2, Sociology Open University, Milton Keynes.

Harper, D. ‘Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 23 June 2022. Available at: https://www.etymonline.com

Henley. D. (2022). ‘What the 2023-2026 Investment Programme means for creativity and culture.’ Arts Council England. Retrieved 5 November 2022. Available at: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/blog/what-2023-26-investment-programme-means-creativity-and-culture

Kara, H. (2015), ‘Creative Research Methods in the Social Sciences – A Practical Guide, Policy Press, University of Bristol: Bristol.

Kleege, G. (2018), ‘More than Meets the Eye: What Blindness Brings to Art’, New York: Oxford University Press.

Kudlick, C. and Luby, E. (2019), ‘Access as Activism: Bringing the museum to the people’, in ‘Museum Activism’, London: Routledge.

Laaksonen, A. (2010), ‘Making culture accessible - Access, participation and cultural provision in the context of cultural rights in Europe’, Strasbourg: Council of Europe

Legislation.gov.uk. (2010). ‘Equality Act 2010’. Retrieved on 8 November 2022. Available at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents

Lewis, T. (2022), ‘Working definition of ableism’. Retrieved 15 August 2022. Available at:https://www.talilalewis.com/blog/working-definition-of-ableism-january-2022-update

Lewis-Beck, M. S., Bryman, A., & Futing Liao, T. (2004), ‘Semistructured interview. In The SAGE encyclopedia of social science research methods’ (pp. 1021-1021). Sage Publications, Inc. Retrieved 25 September 2022. Available at: https://methods-sagepub-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/reference/the-sage-encyclopedia-of-social-science-research-methods/n909.xml

Lukes, S. (1973), ‘Individualism’, Oxford: Basil Blackwell.

Lynch, A. (2022), ‘Amanda Lynch’, Disability Arts Online. Retrieved at 28 September 2022. Available at: https://disabilityarts.online/blog/author/amandalynchart/

Mallet. R and Runswick-Cole, K. (2014), ‘Approaching Disability: Critical issues and perspectives’, London: Routledge.

Mannay, D. (2015), ‘Visual, Narrative and Creative Research Methods: Application, Reflection and Ethics’, Routledge: New York.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2022), ‘Equity’. Retrieved 07 August 2022. Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/equity

Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster (2022), ‘Create’. Retrieved 18 August 2022. Available at: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/create.

Millett-Gallant, A. and Howie, E. (2017), ‘Disability and Art History’, London: Routledge.

Neçka, E., Grohman, M. and Słabosz, A. (2006), ‘Chapter 10: Creativity studies in Poland’. In Kaufman, J.C. and Sternberg, R.J (eds) The International Handbook of Creativity, 175. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Nottingham Contemporary (2021), ‘Caption Conscious Ecology’. Retrieved 4 October 2022. Available at: https://www.nottinghamcontemporary.org/exchange/caption-conscious-ecology/

Nottingham Contemporary (2021), ‘Talk: Protest and Practice’. Online Event. YouTube, 15 November 2021. Retrieved 4 October 2022. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_d4WnDFbok4

Ollerton, J. (2012), ‘IPAR, an inclusive disability research methodology with accessible analytical tools’. International Practice Development Journal 2. New South Wales, Australia. Retrieved 26 September 2022. Available at: https://www.fons.org/Resources/Documents/Journal/Vol2No2/IPDJ_0202_03.pdf

Oliver, M. (1990a), ‘The Individual and Social Models of Disability’. Retrieved 30 June 2022. Available at: https://disability-studies.leeds.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/library/Oliver-in-soc-dis.pdf

Oliver, M. (1990b), ‘The Politics of Disablement’, Basingstoke: Macmillan.

Oliver. M (1996), ‘Understanding Disability: From Theory to Practice’, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Oliver, M. (2004), ‘The social model in action: if I had a hammer’, in C. Barnes and G,Mercer (eds) ‘Implementing the Social Model of Disability; Theory and Research’, Leeds: Disability Press

Oxford English Dictionary (2007), Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Parry, M., Tijsseling, C. and Trigt, P. (2020), ‘Slow, uncomfortable and badly paid: disPLACE and the benefits of disability history’, In A. Chynoweth, B. Lynch, K. Petersen, & S. Smed (Eds.), Museums and social change: challenging the unhelpful museum (pp. 149-159). London: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780429276903-13

Partington, Z. (2017), ’Ways of Seeing Art: Exploring the Link Between Art and Audio

Description.’ Retrieved March 24, 2022. Available at:

https://issuu.com/shapearts/docs/shape_2017_tateexchange_book_final_

Rule, A. and Levine, D. ‘International Art English’ Triple Canopy. Retrieved 16 May

Rule, A. and Levine, D. (2018), ‘International Art English’, New York: Triple Canopy. Retrieved 1 July 2022. Available at: https://www.canopycanopycanopy.com/contents/international_art_english

Schwandt, T. (1994), ‘Constructivist, Interpretivist Approaches to Human Inquiry.’ Retrieved 24 September 2022. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Thomas-Schwandt/publication/232477264_Constructivist_Interpretivist_Approaches_to_Human_Inquiry/links/557048d908aeab777228bfef/Constructivist-Interpretivist-Approaches-to-Human-Inquiry.pdf

Serota, N. (2019), ‘Equality, Diversity and the Creative Case.’ Retrieved 8 May 2022.

Available at: https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/sites/default/files/downloadfile/

ACE_DiversityReport_Final_03032020_0.pdf

Shakespeare, T. (2006), ‘Disability Rights and Wrongs’, London: Routledge.

Shape Arts. ‘Clients’. Retrieved 7 August. 2022. Available at: https://www.shapearts.org.uk/News/client-list

Southbank Centre. ‘Access and Facilities’. Retrieved 7 August 2022. Available at: https://southbank-centre-d8.web.app/visit/facilities-access

Swann, J. (2006), ‘The art of the everyday’. In Maybin, J. and Swann, J. (eds) The art of English: everyday creativity, pp.03-53, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan

Tate. ‘Disability in Art’. Retrieved 7 August 2022. Available at: https://www.tate.org.uk/art/disability-and-art

TED (2015), ‘The enchanting music of sign language’. Online Event. YouTube, 19 November 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2022. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Euof4PnjDk

Thomas, G., (2019). ‘Case Study’, In P. Atkinson, S. Delamont, A. Cernat, J.W. Sakshaug, & R.A. Williams (Eds.), SAGE Research Methods Foundations. Retrieved on 24 September 2022. Available at: https://methods-sagepub-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/foundations/case-study

Thomas, R. M. (2003). ‘Blending qualitative & quantitative research methods in theses and dissertations’, SAGE Publications, Inc., Retrieved 29 October 2022. Available at: https://methods-sagepub-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/book/blending-qualitative-quantitative-research-methods-in-theses-and-dissertations

Uddoh, R, ‘Projects: Black Poirot’. Rosa-Johan Uddoh. Retrieved 4 October 2022. Available at: https://www.rosajohanuddoh.com/black-poirot

UPIAS (1976), ‘Fundamental Principles of Disability’, London: Union of Physically Impaired Against Segregation.

US Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights. (2013) ‘Resolution Agreement South Carolina Technical College System.’ Retrieved 5 November 2022. Available at: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investigations/11116002-b.html

Wall,P. (1999), ‘Pain Silence and Suffering’, London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson.

Request the full research

In order to establish a dialogue, please request a copy and you will be provided with the full copy free of charge within 2-3 days of submitting your request. I look forward to receiving your request.

Creative Methodologies to improve access

MA Arts and Cultural Enterprise, Dissertation, Published 8 December 2022. Can Band 1 and 2 Arts Council England funded visual arts organisations in the National Portfolio employ creative methodologies to better provide accessible contents and programmes?