The idea
The project aims to celebrate and empower individuals through inclusive creative arts across Morecambe Bay. By collaborating with local organisations specialising in theatre, dance, accessible communication, and crafts, we will create nurturing environments where people with neuro differences and disabilities can explore creative and performing arts.
Alongside weekly workshops, our community fiestas will provide a platform for people to showcase their talents. This will:
• Inspire connection, self-expression, and celebrate the rich diversity of talents within our communities
• Normalise inclusion – people with neuro difference/disabilities will be given opportunities for volunteer and paid roles in making the fiesta happen and this will encourage people to ‘see beyond the disability’
• Provide regular social and performance spaces for budding artists.
What we'll deliver
- Offer weekly dance classes (30 in total over 12 months)
- Offer creative art workshops - crafts, music, yoga (6 in total over 12 months)
- Curate 2 fiestas
Why it's a great idea
This initiative will create more opportunities for people to connect, be active and explore creative and performing arts. The events will give people confidence to experience the joy of drama, music and dance collectively, irrespective of their speech and language or physical ability. They seeks to foster social inclusion, break down stereotypes, and cultivate opportunities for meaningful engagement and employment.
We aim to reach 200 people through the fiesta and 80 people through the creative workshops.
We will facilitate an artist inclusion network to grow the talent pool and inspire people to share skills – eg Makaton/ communication tools. This will build skills across the network of organisations so that artists are able to adapt their teaching styles and approaches to cater for people with a disability. Equally, our volunteers will develop skills in community reporting, media and managing events which will give them transferable skills for future employment.
Steps to get it done
- Secure venue and room bookings
- Advertise workshops and fiesta
- Identify dance leader training provider
- Deliver workshops
- Deliver fiesta
- Commission external evaluator
