This is an archived entry from 2021.
Facilitated by Kim Simpson with contributions from Sasha Saben Callahan, Harry Josephine Giles and Siobhan Carroll
Not Going Back to Normal was created by Sasha Saben Callahan and Harry Josephine Giles and is a collective disabled artists manifesto, created in Scotland in 2020. It includes a website which feature works by 49 artists which address ideas of what a radical, accessible art world could be. Curator and Strategist, Kim Simpson, has been closely involved in the project to create a comprehensive evaluation that is now available. Through this event we would like to share learning and discuss possible ways forward with colleagues in the visual art sector.
An evaluation of the project was commissioned as a contextualising document that summarises and expands on the actions put forward in the manifesto and places them alongside work happening in the sector and the responses from the commissioning partners. The evaluation importantly, suggests next steps for the visual arts to question and change the structural ableism found in organisations.
This event will be entirely focused on the evaluation report by Kim, to contribute to this event it is essential that you read the report before the event (download here). Please leave yourself enough time in advance to read the document, it is substantial and may take between 30mins and an hour to read. The Zoom meeting will be open 30mins before the event starts for anyone who would like to use that time to read the report.
This online sharing session will be informal and based on open discussion, it will create an opportunity to:
- Reflect on Not Going Back to Normal
- Discuss and understand the experience of reading the evaluation and manifesto
- Consider what can be learned from the evaluation and manifesto
- Create a plan of action of what could be applied from the evaluation and manifesto in your organisation or practice.
The event will be held online and will be live captioned. There will be regular breaks throughout the session. If you would like to attend and have any access needs not addressed please contact Siobhan on siobhan@collective-edinburgh.art
Places are free but very limited and booking via Eventbrite is required.
Not Going Back to Normal
was a project supported by a group of Scottish visual arts organisations working on improving disability access and inclusion led by Collective and including: Arika, Artlink, CCA, DCA, Glasgow School of Art Exhibitions, Project Ability and the Scottish Sculpture Workshop. It was funded by Creative Scotland and Engage Scotland
Schedule
- Event 2-5pm
- Zoom meeting open 1:30pm – this is to allow time for reading the Evaluation report online
Based in Glasgow, Kim Simpson is a disabled spoonie who has worked primarily as an independent producer, curator and strategist. Attracted to working in the 'connective tissue' of arts and culture, Kim is concerned with making links, sharing knowledge, strengthening relationships and systems while bringing her passion for people, equality, ideas and change to a global world and interconnected time. Recent work includes senior roles with Take Me Somewhere, Made in Scotland Festival Brussels, Tramways Unlimited Festival and curation of seminar sessions and series in anti-ableism with partners in Mexico, Germany and USA. She is a Clore Fellow, an Action Learning Facilitator and RD1st Coach. Since June 2021 Kim has been Programme Manager at greenspace Scotland, leading a national programme of Covid memorial projects, co-created with communities across Scotland.
Sasha Saben Callaghan is a writer and digital artist, living on the east coast of Scotland. She was a winner of the 2016 ‘A Public Space’ Emerging Writer Fellowship and the 2019 Pen to Paper Awards. Her illustrations have featured in a wide range of journals and magazines. Sasha’s lived experience of disability and impairment is a major influence on her work. instagram.com/sashasaben
Harry Josephine Giles is a writer and performer from Orkney who lives in Leith. Their book is The Games from Out-Spoken Press, shortlisted for the 2019 Saltire Prize for Best Collection. Their verse novel Deep Wheel Orcadia is coming out with Picador in October 2021, and they have a PhD in Creative Writing from Stirling. As a theatre artist, Harry Josephine has been featured in the SPILL National Platform, and at festivals including Forest Fringe (UK), NTI (Latvia), Verb Festival (Aotearoa) and Teszt (Romania). Their multimedia poetry show Drone debuted in the Made in Scotland Showcase at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe and toured internationally.
Siobhan Carroll is Head of Programme and Interim Director at Collective. Siobhan produced the Not Going Back to Normal project with Sasha Saben Callaghan and Harry Josephine Giles.