Excluded by Design? Mapping inequalities in the Arts for Disabled children and young people

Disabled children, young people, and adults still face disproportionate barriers when accessing the arts, creative education, and employment. In our latest research, Excluded by Design, we find that:

Their participation in the arts is lower, shorter-term, and more likely to be home-based.
They frequently encounter discrimination, fear of judgement, lack of youth voice and agency, limiting expectations, and tokenism.
Representation remains scarce. Just 9% of the workforce of regularly funded arts organisations are disabled, compared with 16% of all people in employment in the UK.

In recent years, we’ve seen some exciting innovation and progress when it comes to access and inclusion in the arts. But change hasn’t come fast enough.

There needs to be a shift in how creative programmes are designed for young Disabled people. They should be long-term, sustained and progressive. With more youth voice and agency, 1:1 mentoring and support, better representation and more progression options. Underpinned by the social model of disability.

The research charts good practice from across the sector, and provides a series of recommendations. We urge you to read the findings, and take action to improve parity of creative outcomes for Disabled people.

Download Excluded by Design report – PDF (14.1MB)

Download Excluded by Design report – Word (1.76 MB)

Download Excluded by Design report – Word large print (1.76 MB)

Listen to Excluded by Design report – Audio version

A child with their hands covering their eyes, as if they are playing hide and seek.

Six Recommendations to Shift the Scene

Alongside these findings, the report sets out six urgent actions we must take now to make the creative arts more accessible for Disabled young people:

Equitable funding for Disabled people

More ringfenced and targeted funds, fair pay commitments and greater availability of personal access costs.

Accessible Access

Access information for participants, artists, staff and audiences should be accessible, easy-to-find, and built in from the start.

Improved knowledge and understanding

Sector-wide education on the social model of disability, with lived experience at the centre.

The development of IDEA cultures in organisations

Inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA) practices should cut across all areas of an organisation’s operations.

Individual advocacy and allyship

Individuals challenging discrimination, asking questions and using their platforms for change.

Inclusive programme design

Long-term progressive opportunities, with more youth voice and agency, 1:1 mentoring, better representation and clear progression routes. Creative careers options should be introduced at an early stage.

An infographic that shows a series of programme features plotted along an arrow that leads to ‘equitable creative development’. Features include designed on the social model of disability, creative peer group, partnerships for onward progression, ambitious and progressive opportunities, youth voice, autonomy and agency, early and sustained opportunities, artist development and creative career options, representation and role models, 1:1 mentoring and support.

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There aren't many opportunities in music for young people with disabilities, and this needs to change. Music is a way of having voices heard. Young people with a disability need to be heard, too. Music will give them an amazing opportunity to stand up for themselves and for them to change the world's old-fashioned views and perspectives on disability."

George Webster

Bafta award winning CBeebies presenter and disability advocate

Shift the Scene Fund

Shift the Scene will fund creative opportunities for Disabled children and young people, pushing for genuine inclusion, ambition and accessibility. Through advocacy, creativity, and community, we want organisations to ‘shift the scene’ and create spaces where Disabled voices lead.

Opportunities will be funded across all art forms, not just music. The application deadline is 5pm on Friday 28 November.

Find out more

Want to improve IDEA in your organisation?

If you’re committed to strengthening your knowledge and practice around Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA), visit our IDEA Hub.

There you’ll find the IDEA framework. An action-focussed tool to ensure the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity and access are considered across all areas of strategy, culture and operations.

In addition, our easy-to-use survey is designed to help you reflect on what you’re doing well, and what could be improved. For added inspiration, you’ll find a wealth of videos, toolkits and articles.

Visit our Idea Hub