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30 Jul 24 | Funding
Oxford Cultural Programme and Unlimited to commission new work from Disabled Artists
Unlimited is partnering with 12 UK organisations, including the Cultural Programme, to offer 17 awards to disabled artists. These awards will provide a total of £628,000 to commission artists nationally and internationally. The Cultural Programme will match funds against £20,000 from the scheme, making a total of £40,000 available to commission work.
Unlimited’s mission is to commission extraordinary work from disabled artists until the whole of the cultural sector does. This work will change and challenge the world. As the world’s largest commissioner of disabled artists, they have been dedicated to this work since 2013.
This year, they are focusing on artworks that engage communities in meaningful ways, challenge audience perceptions, and enhance visibility for disabled artists. They are looking for projects that are designed to be seen, offering dynamic and interactive experiences to broad audiences.
Working in partnership with organisations across the cultural sector is key to their long-term mission of not existing. Together they aim to support disabled artists in creating new work that captivates, inspires, and fosters deeper understanding and appreciation.
In partnership with British Council, they are offering five International Awards of up to £50,000 for artists to form collaborations across the world.
Partners based in England are Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Liverpool Biennial, Norfolk and Norwich Festival, Oxford University Cultural Programme, Sadler’s Wells, Southbank Centre, and Wellcome Collection. In Scotland: Imaginate and Summerhall Arts. In Wales: Span Arts and Tŷ Pawb.
Made possible with the support of Arts Council England, Arts Council of Wales, and Creative Scotland, Unlimited UK will offer 12 UK awards ranging from £15,000 to £60,000. These awards will support the creation of extraordinary new work in combined arts, dance, live performance, outdoor arts, socially engaged work, visual arts and more.
Isabella Tulloch Gallego, Programme Manager Commission at Unlimited:
“We’re incredibly excited to award £628,000 in this round of commissions. By working in partnership with a range of organisations this year, we can offer even wider support to disabled artists through our shared investment. This year’s awards reflect not only a national but also an international commitment to challenging and changing the world. We eagerly anticipate the incredible work this investment will inspire.”
Nikki Locke, Senior Relationship Manager, Culture Responds to Global Challenges at British Council:
“We’re delighted to support the Unlimited Partner Awards, which builds connections between disabled artists across the globe. Our long-standing partnership with Unlimited is an essential part of the British Council’s commitment to support the international disability arts sector. Previous collaborations have been ambitious, high quality and disabled-led – elevating unique and thought-provoking perspectives and challenging societal attitudes towards disability. The global arts sector needs to shift to create greater access and inclusion for disabled people. We believe that finding new ways of connecting with and understanding each other through the arts can be a catalyst for change.”
Josie Bamford, Executive Producer of Oxford University Cultural Programme:
“Oxford University Cultural Programme is an ambitious programme that is building towards the opening of the Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, at which point it will be based within the suite of cultural spaces that will exist within the centre. We are delighted to be collaborating with Unlimited on this brilliant award and we are so excited that the outcome of this will be one of the earliest pieces of work to be performed in the new Schwarzman Centre, marking and celebrating from the very beginning, our commitment to disabled artists and disabled led companies.”
Previous commissions have varied widely in both artform and scale, reflecting the company’s commitment to Unlimited possibilities and radical creativity. In the UK, they have awarded projects such as a bold theatre production exploring disabled LGBTQ+ experience in the Scottish Highlands, and a powerful one-woman dance show inspired by Black hair culture. Internationally, Unlimited awards have championed equity and representation, supporting a groundbreaking collaboration between disabled women in Scotland and Mexico to rework archival footage, and an impactful light and projection experience featuring music, poetry, dance, and sign language in England and China.
The application portal is now open and will accept submissions until Monday 30 September.
Find out more about how to apply
30 Jul 24