DaDa

A girl with curly shoulder length hair partially tied up is holding a microphone sitting next to one girl playing the guitar and another with long hair and glasses sat at a mic. Behind is another teenager obscured. They are in stage lighting.

Image description A teenage girl with long dark hair is sat at a music stand playing the guitar. Just visible over her should is a boy playing the guitar and another at a drumkit

A young man with wavy dark hair just above the shoulder is holding a stick and conducting.

A group of disabled musicians are gathered in a group in a music performance space. Instruments are behind them including a grand piano. There is a large screen with logos on. Some are seated and some are standing. Some have hands raised in excitement and they are smiling.

We are excited to share with you some of the images captured at our 'DaDa Makes Music' live performance.🎤

You can listen to the interviews or download the transcripts over on our blog:
www.dadafest.co.uk/article/dada...

📸Brian Roberts

Dolly Sen and DaDa CEO Zoe stand in a street next to a car with its boot open. They are raising a fist and smiling

A final moment of Raging together with Dolly Sen as we make sure the final DDFI40 artwork finds its way home.

Such a pleasure to work with Dolly during our festival.

Still so much to ‘rage’ about, so we won’t be quiet. We are already planning our next riot. Stay tuned!

A man is standing at the back of a room banging on a drum. A young person has their back to camera at the front using drum sticks to tap on electronic pads.

We are really looking forward to Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Company and DaDa Ensemble performance live at the Philharmonic tonight at 6.30pm.

You can still book your last minute tickets to join us via this link:

www.liverpoolphil.com/whats-on/all...

A Neon sign with blue writing reading 'Rights not charity' sits at the top of the image as though it is hanging by a chain to the wall. A swirled pastel background has a raised fist in the bottom right and the DaDa logo bottom left. The text in the centre read "The concession from the government’s welfare bill regarding changes to PIP is a small shift for disabled people. But we are painfully aware that disabled people can never drop their guard. Disabled people will continue to campaign for equality and human rights. Nothing about us without us."

“The concession from the Government’s welfare bill regarding changes to PIP is a small shift for disabled people.

But we are painfully aware that disabled people can never drop their guard. Disabled people will continue to campaign for equality and human rights.

Nothing about us without us.”✊

Contact us via info@dadafest.co.uk with 'Edinburgh' in the subject line to share information with us, or find out more about how to connect with our team at Edinburgh Fringe. 🎨

We will be holding some drop in events at the Edinburgh Fringe Hub so you can connect with our team while we are there on Wednesday 13 August 12pm & Wednesday 20 August 2pm. BSL will be available at the drops in.

An image of three people smiling brightly, it's mostly an image of their smiling faces, the person in the middle of the image has a bold blue t-shirt on featuring a graphic image, which appears to be an advertisement for a show. They are all at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. They are stood in front of a green wall which has blurry posters adorned all over it. The person in the middle and the right of the image have a blue lanyard on.

DaDa 🤝 Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Our team is excited to be coming along to Edinburgh Fringe again this year and we want to hear from you! 👋

Tell us about:

- Shows featuring brilliant disabled artists we should see

- Events integrating access that we should experience

- Opportunities to network

Four people wear orange festival T-shirts. They are seated in camping chairs with porta cabins behind them in a field. There are blue signs with a wheelchair symbol on behind them.

DaDa CEO Zoe Partington stands wearing a straw hat and denim jacket. She has a VR headset on and a night time festival crowd can be seen behind her.

DaDa CEO Zoe Partington wears a straw hat facing away from the camera towards a festival stage which is in the distance with a large blurred screen. It is night time. There is smoke and bright lights in front of the stage hovering over a large festival crowd.

Two men and a woman wear orange festival T-shirts. Another woman is dressed in leggings and a grey T-shirt. They are seated in camping chairs with porta cabins behind them

Team DaDa have arrived at @glastofestfeed.bsky.social , ready to get started as sighted guides

So far the team have tested out brilliant magnification headsets from @givevision

We’re looking forward to exploring more of the access initiatives here & enjoying great music.

#Glastonbury2025

#ICYMI Please read our statement regarding Access to Work.

A group of young disabled musicians are seated behind music stands and microphones. some of them have drums next to them. One sits in front of a full drum kit and a few have electric or acoustic guitars. They are all clapping and smiling.

'DaDa Makes Music', and we'd love you to join us for the experience!

@liverpoolphil Youth Company & DaDa Ensemble are excited to present brand new work thanks to @YouthMusic Funded ‘DaDa Makes Music’ on 8th July.

Please book via this link:
www.liverpoolphil.com/whats-on/all...

A bright blue wall carries inflated letters reading 'Deep End'. Beneath is a yellow inflatable Lilo on the floor next to green inflatable dumbbells.

Amy Claire Mills is a brilliant Neurodivergent and Disabled artist whose work delves into themes of advocacy, identity, and resistance.

Amy is presenting ‘Deep End’ at Liverpool Biennial as part of a Co-commission with DaDa.

More here:
www.biennial.com/artists/amy-...

📷 Mark McNulty.

Disabled people will start to fade from the sector unless something changes

✊Statement from DaDa Regarding Access to Work

We stand with those within our community who are concerned about the impact of these changes on their work and practice.

Read our full statement over on our blog:
www.dadafest.co.uk/article/stat...

Disabled people will start to fade from the sector unless something changes

✊Statement from DaDa Regarding Access to Work

We stand with those within our community who are concerned about the impact of these changes on their work and practice.

Read our full statement over on our blog:
www.dadafest.co.uk/article/stat...

Erin Pritchard wearing a smart jacket with long dark hair flowing, and glasses.

Dwarfism Arts and Advocacy, Creating our Own Positive Identity. Book Launch 19th June 2024 10am-2pm Free online event Meet the artists, actors and media creators who are using their work to challenge stereotypes of dwarfism. With discussion on how Disability Arts can also foster inclusion and a more positive identity for people with dwarfism. Book your place.

We are excited to share that DaDa Board Member Erin Pritchard is launching a new book “Dwarfism Arts and Advocacy: Creating Our Own Positive Identity”.

You can join the launch online 19th June 10am-2pm
Book your FREE place to the launch here:
store.hope.ac.uk/product-cata...

Deeply sad news.

DaDa has worked with hundreds of disabled artists who need access to work to flourish in the arts and culture sector.

Access to work is a vital resource for disabled artists and others.

We are so saddened to read this. 😢

Shape your space. Join us at a creative workshop next week. Book a free place and tell us your access requirements. Email emilypeasgoodstudios@gmail.com. Call text or whatsapp 07749115484. Neurodiverse voices and lived experience of SEND needed.

This month our friends at St Helens Libraries are inviting you to take part in workshops to inform the redesign of Haydock Library.

Happening on 28th & 29th May.

Info and booking links here:
www.dadafest.co.uk/article/shap...

DaDa CEO Zoe Partington dressed in a smart black jacket and trousers holds a mic. Beside her is a BSL interpreter. Behind them are palm trees and foliage.

92% of our audience thought accessibility at DDFI40 was good or excellent

We want to see more arts and culture with access at the heart.

92% of those attending #DDFI40 rated the accessibility good or excellent.

There is a stat we are proud to shout about on Global Accessibility Awareness Day. 🎉

📷 @JessMeadePhoto

"Let us collectively use our rage for good" ✊

Powerful words from our 2024 Rushton Lecture keynote, Kaite O'Reilly, ‘RAGE ON: The Uses of Anger’, you can catch it online now!

🎬Watch over on youtube with BSL and captions. A transcript is also available.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqnZ...

An image of Amy Milson, a dancer, with arms outstretched to the sky, performing a dance piece outdoors. The sky is glowing orange, the sun very present in the background of the image, setting in the horizon. In the background, the water at Liverpool docks glimmers as it reflects the sunshine. Amy is partly a silhouette due to the volume of light from behind her.

Unseen by Amy Milson, co-commissioned by Culture Liverpool and DaDa for Leap Dance Festival. 🥳

Unseen is a concept video exploring experiences with Visual Impairment and Periventricular Leukomalacia, combining dance, music & spoken word.

➡️ www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk/whats-on/mud... 💥

A group of people stand side by side, smiling into the camera. They are about to speak at the Rushton Lecture, for DaDaFest. The panellists are: Kaite O'Reily, Julie McNamara, Cheryl Martin and Ruth Fabby. They are dressed formally, they are stood outside in front of the iconic Liver Building, seen in the distance. Blue skies feature.

Kaite O'Reily is pictured delivering her lecture for DaDaFest at the Rushton Lecture. She is holding a few pieces of paper, at a podium, looking upward confidently at the audience. She is stood in front of a wall that is lit with purple lighting. She wears a beige shirt with a blue striped tie.

We are delighted to announce that the Rushton Lecture will be available to view on Thursday! 🥳

Our keynote speaker this year was delivered by Kaite O’Reilly, Kaite explores rage, the theme of #DDFI40 💥

Kaite is joined by a selection of panellists 🗣

To watch, visit: www.youtube.com/@DaDaFest ⬅

A lively stage performance featuring four performers in colorful, theatrical costumes. One performer in a bright green suit and dramatic face makeup sings into a microphone, reaching out energetically. Another performer in a blue suit with white cloud patterns and a blue top hat waves to the audience. Two more performers, one in a red tutu and another in black-and-white striped pants with a red top hat, also animate the scene. Hands of an excited audience are visible in the foreground.

A cheerful performer dressed in a bright blue suit patterned with white clouds smiles widely and extends a blue hat toward the audience. They wear vibrant blue eye makeup and red lipstick, standing in front of a sparkling red curtain backdrop.

A stage performer wears a black and white striped blaze, they have blue eyeshadow that sparkles with a blue clipboard tucked under their arm. They sing into a microphone, their eyes are closed.

Three performers stand together on stage, dramatically pointing toward the camera. The front performer wears a silver sequin vest and a pink tulle skirt. Behind them, a performer in a green suit and another in a cloud-patterned blue suit strike a strong pose, all with bold, theatrical makeup.

Disabled art and joy to start the week? Here it is! 🥳

We were so lucky to host The Not Your Circus Dog collective with 'Not F**kin' Sorry return after their sold-out runs in 2019 and 2022. We had an evening of shameless sexy punk crip cabaret. 💥

What was your #DDFI40 highlight? 💬

Navigating the Fringe as a disabled and/or neurodivergent Artist Join this insightful online panel discussion, hosted by Lizzy Lenco (she/her), where the panel will share their lived-experiences of navigating the Fringe as a disabled and/or neurodivergent artist. T...

Be sure to check out this online panel discussion! 🥳

Navigating the Fringe as a disabled and/or neurodivergent Artist - 30 April, 2pm 🎭

The discussion will host a number of panellists, amongst them Lizzy Lenco, who has performed as part of the DaDa Cabaret! ⭐️

connect.edfringe.com/events/176688

This project is backed by Youth Music, thanks to the National Lottery via Arts Council England. 🫶

Graphic with a bold purple background featuring the text "We're backed by Youth Music" in large, vibrant purple letters on a light grey background. The Youth Music logo is displayed in the top right corner, and a black circle with yellow diagonal stripes partially appears in the top left corner, adding a dynamic visual element.

A young person enthusiastically plays a djembe drum with drumsticks, surrounded by other musicians, including a drummer and a keyboard player. The scene takes place in a bright indoor setting. Logos at the bottom indicate support from DaDa, Youth Music, the National Lottery via Arts Council England, and Arts Council England

We're delighted to announce that Youth Music have confirmed their support for the ‘DaDa Makes Music’ composition project through a Youth Music Stability Grant. 🥳

The project will deliver music provision for young disabled musicians with sessions led by skilled professional music leaders. 🎼

An image of News From Nowhere shop window from the outdoor pathway. The shop has a big rainbow across the top window above it's sign. The sign is a scroll with 'News From Nowhere' written on it. There is a pride flag in the window, along with Dolly Sen's Please Rage Generously sculpture.

A group of people walk past a large glass window on a city street. The window belongs to a brick building and features a neon yellow sign reading "Crip Time." Reflections in the glass show more people and a display inside. The scene captures motion blur from the pedestrians, conveying a sense of bustling urban activity.

Art really is everywhere 🎨

During #DDFI40, we made sure art was everywhere across Liverpool city centre, it's so important to us that disability artistry is seen and loved, far and wide.

💥 Please Rage Generously by Dolly Sen
💥 Painting In Light by Zoe Partington

📸 1 Brian Roberts, 2 Tom Horton

At the foreground, someone is pictured holding a phone in the air, filming the action on stage. A lively audience pictured from behind. The background is of performers on stage, blurry, red light.

A promotional graphic for DaDaFest International 40. The background is a solid pink with white and black bold text reading: “provoking, powerful, thoughtful, fun.- Audiences”In the bottom section, the text reads:“DaDaFest International 40 | 8th – 31st March 2025.” In the top right corner is the hashtag "#DDFI40" in white and black.

We're blown away by audience responses to #DDFI40 💥

We asked audiences that attended DDFI40 what words they would use to describe the festival, here's what they said...

We look forward to sharing more of our festival achievements throughout April as we look back with rage in our hearts. 💛

An image of Janet Price and Faith Bebbington at the launch of Pimp My Wheelchair. The two artists hold one anothers arms, and look at one another with love and adoration. Faith wears a green jumper, Faith wears a red one. Thorns from installations are present in the image. Others are pictured in the background, blurry.

We hope you're having a splendid Easter holiday! 🫶

We love this image taken at DDFI40 - 'Pimp My Wheelchair' was a festival highlight for many, a beautiful fusion of art, nature & activism. Be sure to head out into nature this bank holiday... 🌱

Read more about the project on our website. 📲

Two women stand smiling and chatting in a bright indoor space with greenery. The woman on the left, with gray hair, wears a white t-shirt with the word “RAGE” and the DaDaFest website printed on it. The woman on the right, with short brown hair and green sunglasses on her head, wears a black and white striped jacket and holds a green paper cup. They appear to be enjoying each other's company.

A bold pink poster with white and black text promoting DaDaFest International 40. The quote reads: “The launch was so fun, refreshing and joyful. To be with disabled people who understand. Disabled people's lives should be full of happiness, compassion, love and kindness not just struggles and frustration.” The bottom of the poster reads, “DaDaFest International 40 | 8th – 31st March 2025.” The top right corner includes the hashtag #DDFI and a “40” in a white circle.

This is our reason 🫶

We asked audiences of #DDFI40 to talk to us about what they enjoyed at the festival - we are so glad to have created a festival that provides a safe and joyful space for disabled artists to thrive. ❤️

We look forward to sharing more DDFI40 success throughout April. 💥

An image taken from a busy crowd, we are in and amongst it. The audience is an audience from a drag cabaret. The light is blue and vivid. Someone is filming the activity on stage, featured is their hands holding a phone, this is the primary focus of the image. There are backs of heads featured in the image, blurry and blue, behind.

A green graphic background. The following text features: We reached 80,000+ online communities during DaDaFest. DaDaFest International 40 | 8th - 31st March 2025, along with a hashtag beside the DDFI40 logo.

We did that! 💥

We are delighted to discover that we reached over 80,000+ online communities during DaDaFest. It's so important to us that we reach our communities digitally. 💻

You can still enjoy #DDFI40 activity online! 📲

Check it out - www.dadafest.co.uk/what-we-do/d... ⬅️

A lively and diverse audience watches an event with visible joy and engagement. In the foreground, a person wearing a white cap with handwritten text “STRIKE A PO…” (partially obscured) and a red jacket is smiling brightly. Next to them, another person in a brown leather jacket also appears to be enjoying the performance. The background is filled with people, some clapping, all focused on the stage out of view.

A promotional graphic for DaDaFest International 40. The background is a solid blue with white and black bold text reading: “Beautiful, Creative, Insightful, Moving – Audiences.” In the bottom section, the text reads: “DaDaFest International 40 | 8th – 31st March 2025.” In the top right corner is the hashtag "#DDFI40" in white and black.

We asked audiences that attended #DDFI40 what words they would use to describe the festival, here's some of their responses... 💥

We feel incredibly lucky to hear these responses from our supporters 💛