13 April 2021
News
We’re very excited to reveal we’ve been working with Daryl Beeton Productions on an exciting new project with funding from Without Walls.
In partnership with Mansfield-based disabled advocacy and grassroots activist group OneConversation, Back to Normal is a project challenging the norm for the learning disabled and autistic community.
Performer, producer and director Daryl Beeton is a high-profile activist for disabled artists. For Back to Normal, Daryl has worked in the role of Artistic Director, collaborating with First Art, OneConversation and motion designer Mike Choo.
Both Daryl and OneConversation share in First Art’s ethos that the arts and culture can enrich lives and the communities we inhabit.
The project harnesses art activism – using the arts as a powerful medium – to expose some of the issues disabled people face as part of everyday life in the ‘normal’ world and how these ‘norms’ are accepted by most of society.
Back to Normal sets out to challenge this. Now, more than ever, as we navigate a changed world as the result of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is the opportunity to start to turn that tanker.
Daryl commented:
Back to Normal has been a true conversation. What does the new ‘normal’ look like and why things shouldn’t just go back to the way they were, there went that great for us to begin with!
As we continue through this uncertain period, more and more Disabled people are staying indoors – becoming invisible. This exciting project ensures that those voices are still heard and have a space within the community.
The collaboration’s resulting work is, as Daryl’ describes it, “bold, playful and political!” and will soon we revealed to the world.
Collaborating with One Conversation, First Art and Mike Choo has really allowed a creative solution to ensure those voices are still visible… taking their voices back into public spaces after months of being inside.
– Daryl Beeton
OneConversation added:
As an activist movement, we deal in provocation. We have established our means of this through what we say and shout, but our collaboration with First Art, Daryl Beeton, and Mike Choo has further expanded our repertoire of how to challenge people to think differently. Funding from Without Walls has taken our brand of grassroots rebellion into the realms of art activism!
First Art is part of the Without Walls Touring Network Partnership.
Without Walls is a network of festivals that works with artists to bring fantastic outdoor arts to people in towns and cities across the UK. Since 2007, Without Walls has supported the development of over 140 shows, many of which have toured beyond our network of festivals to 22 countries worldwide. They are supported by Arts Council England as a National Portfolio Organisation.
For more information about the organisations mentioned above, please click below.