With the project, we want to equip people with disabilities with the necessary instruments and skills to find creative and innovative solutions against the risk of exclusion and isolation, but also against the social challenge of ensuring the inclusion of people with disabilities even in the pandemic. In particular, opportunities are sought for how the cultural and creative industries can face these social challenges and make their own contribution to overcoming the pandemic. Special consideration should also be given to creatives and artists with disabilities. Article 30 of the UN CRPD guarantees the right of people with disabilities to participate in cultural life and to develop and utilise their creative, artistic and intellectual potential, as both amateur and professional artists. Objectives of the European Lifelong Learning programs, and the “EU disability strategy 2020 for Inclusion in Europe” as well as the UN CRPD are also the better and equal participation of people with special needs at adult training activities but also as adult trainers themselves. As a result of the Covid-19 crisis, many people with disabilities in Europe were once again discriminated against and often referred to as a risk group. Many people with disabilities were considerably restricted in their freedom, they could neither meet friends nor relatives, and there was no social control in the facilities by visitors and relatives. As a result, many residents suffered from enormous psychological stress, loneliness, hospitalization and depression. But also people with disabilities, who live independently in their own homes are still particularly affected by the pandemic. Due to the special contact restrictions or the reckless behavior of fellow citizens who do not adhere to distance and hygiene regulations or the obligation to wear a mask, many people with disabilities, who are also members of a health risk group, have become isolated for fear of infection driven. On the other hand, the cultural and creative industries were also affected by significant restrictions and lockdowns by unemployment and no incomes. Artists and cultural workers with disabilities are particularly affected, too. Therefore we saw a need for a transnational project, which organises on one hand an exchange of experiences of people with disabilities and the arts and cultural industry from different countries. On the other hand we find the manifold resources and creativity of the stakeholder groups, which shall be manifested through cooperative training in arts and culture, how to claim for equal rights and self determination, to overcome the restrictions of the pandemic and to cooperate in a fair manner to create new business, employment and incomes. The project will produce five core outcomes: 1. The ART coWORKers methodology 2. The ART coWORKers Course for people with disabilities in the field of active citizenship and creative work 3. The ART coWORKers Performing arts - Shadow theater (6 shadow theatre plays) 4. The digital ART coWORKers Tool Box 5. The ART coWORKers Marketing Plan - Creating the message Main project activities are working at the core outcomes, organising joint staff training and blended mobilities for adult learners with disabilities, transnational project meetings, stakeholder workshops and a final conference. In the project are five partners from four European countries (HU, DE, NL and MKD) involved. In the partnership are cooperating together inclusive adult learning experts for people with disabilities), self-representation organisation of people with disabilities , pedagogical and training experts , a artists and theatre union as well as a specialist in creative and inclusive coworking and virtual topics. This variety of geographic, structural and business diversity makes the consortium very competent and strong. The project will have the following main impacts. The involved people with disabilities are empowered and skilled to use arts and theatre play for self-representation and getting equal rights during a pandemic but also in other situations of discrimination. People with disabilities will have a better and equal access to adult learning opportunities especially to digital learning. The broader local, regional and national public and the political decision maker are better informed about the UN CRPD, the rights of people with disabilities in general and during pandemic and they have started to reduce the discrimination and segregation of people with disabilities in institutions and at home. The cooperation between adult training organisation and arts and culture business shall lead to reinforcement of creativity in non-formal and formal education. New skills and competences are created in both sectors. The involved arts, culture and creative industry will find new business and job opportunities together with people with disabilities. People with disabilities get a chance to work as artists and in the cultural sector.
People with disabilities and artists should be equipped with the necessary tools and skills to enable the development of creative and innovative solutions against the threat of exclusion and isolation, also during time of the pandemic. In particular, pathways should be sought for the cultural and creative industries to address these societal challenges and contribute to overcoming the pandemic. People with disabilities involved should be empowered to use art and drama for their self-expression and to assert their equal rights not only during a pandemic but also in other situations in which they face discrimination. People with disabilities should have better and equal access to adult learning opportunities, especially digital learning. Cooperation between adult education organisations and arts and cultural operators should lead to a strengthening of creativity in non-formal and formal education. The arts and cultural industries involved should work together with people with disabilities to discover new business and employment opportunities. People with disabilities should gain the opportunity to work as artists and/or in the cultural sector.
According to article 30 of the UN CRPD, people with disabilities have the right to participate in cultural life and to develop and make use of their creative, artistic and intellectual potential. Goals of the European Lifelong Learning Programmes and the "EU Disability Strategy 2020 for Inclusion in Europe" are the better and equal participation of people with special needs in adult education activities. As a result of the Covid 19 crisis, many people with disabilities in Europe were again discriminated against and often labelled as particularly vulnerable and at risk. Many people with disabilities faced greater restrictions to their freedom than people without disabilities. This resulted in great psychological stress, loneliness, hospitalisation, and depression. But also the cultural industries were affected by significant restrictions and lockdowns resulting in unemployment and lack of income. Therefore, we identified the need for a project bringing together people with disabilities and people of the arts from different countries. The aim was to enable people with disabilities and people from the arts to commonly share and cope with their experiences of exclusion and artistically express them in form of shadow theatre plays.