Equal Arts

Equal Arts Equal Arts is a Newcastle upon Tyne–based charity and arts organisation dedicated to widening participation in the arts for visually impaired and disabled people across the North East of England. The organisation develops participatory projects, professional development, and accessible creative programmes that connect communities, museums, theatres, galleries, and health services. Equal Arts collaborates with artists, cultural institutions, and funders to embed inclusion into mainstream cultural practice while advocating for accessible provision across the region.

History

Equal Arts was established in the late 20th century amid growing momentum for disability rights influenced by movements such as the Disability Rights Movement, legislative shifts exemplified by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and later the Equality Act 2010, and cultural shifts led by organisations like Arts Council England and National Disability Arts Collection and Archive. Early partnerships included collaborations with regional institutions such as Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle University, and the Laing Art Gallery, reflecting a broader trend in the 1990s and 2000s toward inclusive practice championed by figures and organisations like Judi Dench-led campaigns for accessibility in the performing arts and initiatives promoted by Creative Scotland and British Council networks. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s Equal Arts expanded its remit, delivering projects in sensory arts informed by research from bodies including Tate Modern outreach teams, health-related partnerships with the NHS, and evaluation frameworks influenced by the Big Lottery Fund and academic studies at institutions such as Newcastle University Medical School.

Mission and Programs

Equal Arts’ mission foregrounds artistic participation for visually impaired and disabled people through tailored programmes, training, and co-produced commissions with professional artists. Its programmes have included multisensory workshops delivered in venues like the Theatre Royal, Newcastle and touring participatory residencies with organisations such as the Sage Gateshead and Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums. Equal Arts commissions artists and companies with profiles ranging from independent practitioners to those associated with national platforms such as Royal Opera House initiatives or regional producers like Northern Stage. Training strands have connected with continuing professional development agendas at Arts Council England and curriculum-linked projects with schools supported by Department for Education initiatives. Equal Arts has also developed heritage-access projects aligning with the work of National Trust properties and interpretive collaborations with the Beamish Museum and local archives.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

Community engagement is central to Equal Arts’ model, working with service users, carers, cultural institutions, health trusts, and local authorities including Gateshead Council and Newcastle City Council. Partnerships extend to national networks such as Disability Arts Online, volunteering schemes coordinated with Voluntary Service Newcastle, and intersectoral collaborations with organisations like Age UK and Mind. Equal Arts has brokered artist residencies with institutions including BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and co-productions with Northern Gallery for Contemporary Art, while engaging advocacy allies such as Arts Council England and regional development agencies like NewNet. Internationally informed exchanges have drawn on contacts with groups linked to European Cultural Foundation programmes and UK-wide events including Disability History Month and touring festivals curated by companies like Graeae Theatre Company.

Funding and Governance

Equal Arts is funded through a combination of public grants, charitable trusts, corporate sponsorship, fee income, and individual donations. Key funders historically include Arts Council England, the National Lottery Community Fund, regional charitable trusts such as the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, and local authority grant streams from entities like Tyne and Wear Combined Authority. Governance is typically overseen by a board of trustees drawn from arts, health, and voluntary sectors with sector expertise comparable to trustees serving organisations such as Newcastle University governing bodies or museum trusts. Financial oversight and reporting align with Charity Commission guidance and funding conditions set by major funders such as Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England, while commissioning agreements and partnership memoranda reflect standards used across the cultural sector.

Impact and Evaluation

Evaluation of Equal Arts’ work has combined qualitative arts-led methods and quantitative measures of participation, following best practice signalled by research from Paul Hamlyn Foundation reports and evaluation templates used by the National Lottery Community Fund. Impact indicators have included increased attendance at participatory events staged in collaboration with venues like Sage Gateshead and measurable wellbeing outcomes reported by partners in the NHS and social care services. Case studies have documented strengthened audience diversity for partners such as Laing Art Gallery and enhanced professional development outcomes for artists who later engaged with national programmes at institutions like Royal Exchange Theatre and Roundhouse. External evaluations have cited improvements in accessibility policy and practice among partner institutions and downstream influence on commissioning decisions within regional arts funding streams administered by Arts Council England.

Category:Charities based in Newcastle upon Tyne