ARTplus Englisch

    ARTplus

    EUCREA: STRUCTURAL PROGRAM ART AND INCLUSION

    The aim of EUCREA's structural program is to expand and improve the training and employment offers for artistically talented people with different types of disabilities in the German-speaking world. Whether in front or behind the scenes: artists with disabilities ought to be visible in all cultural sectors - whether in the promotion of culture, in artistic sectors or in academic and non-academic training. EUCREA is convinced that the creative wealth of cultural life in Germany will profit from the inclusion of many members of our society. The artistic training of people with different types of skills ought to be regarded as an enrichment for placement-related work and encourage a diversity of methods.

     

    EXPANDING THE MULTIPLICITY OF OFFERS

    EUCREA's strategy does not pursue the development of new "special formats", instead it strives to make existing facilities aware of the needs of the people with disabilities, and then develop new strategies and measures together with them to achieve more accessibility in the future.

    Currently, the opportunity to practice artistic activities is often only possible in workshops for people with disabilities (WfbM). The skills acquired by many of the artists who work there are self-taught; most of these artists have seldom taken part in a vocational qualification outside of the WfbM. They often expand their artistic experience with practical work; as "professional artists" the audience often rates them based on their artistic achievements. Without vocational qualifications, artists with disabilities are worse off both in the promotion of culture as in the participation in artistic activities when they cannot access basic educational content.
    Together with ARTplus, EUCREA strives, nationwide, to provide people with an artistic orientation with opportunities to train their talents and make occupational use of them - either within or outside of a WfbM. To a person with a disability, the desire to work as a professional artist should not automatically mean a life working within a WfbM. ARTplus strives to achieve more diversity.

     

    SENSITIZATION OF CULTURAL PLAYERS, POLITICS AND PUBLIC AWARENESS

    EUCREA's structural program aims at sensitizing politics, administrations and cultural players in the German-speaking world for diversity in the cultural sector, and activates cooperative partners throughout Germany to become involved in the topic. EUCREA is committed to a diversification of the cultural sector on a federal and regional level and represents, in particular, the interests of artists with disabilities.

    In addition, it is also important to change viewing habits. On stage and in films, performers with disabilities are often "exotic" and are frequently cast in these parts. In art colleges, artists with disabilities are seldom fellow students and members of the faculty. A long-term change of mindset is needed in the cultural sector and its public image: Diversity ought to be considered a strong point rather than a weakness in public awareness.

    In 2015/2016, EUCREA launched an initial project phase in Hamburg aimed at promoting the cooperation between artists with disabilities and cultural institutions. Implementation strategies were tested based on individual exemplary cases.

    Seven cultural institutions in Hamburg took part in 2016; new partners have joined the project since. Initial offers, also apart from those proposed for the duration of the project, were thus achieved.