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Venue: Southbank Centre

Date: Tuesday 19th June 2012

Time: 2pm – 6PM followed by drinks and networking

A discussion about the representation of disabled people in the media will be led by Art Shape, Shape and ‘Leading Through Change’.

There is a change happening… and disabled people are leading.

An essential event if you are reporting on the cultural Olympiad or the Paralympics.

The 2012 Cultural Olympiad and Paralympic games provide a unique opportunity to re-imagine the way the public see disabled people.  Disability arts and sports will be celebrated on an unprecedented scale, images of successful disabled artists and athletes will fill our screens and more words will be written about disability than ever before. How writers and journalists reflect on this will shape the way disabled people are seen by the public for a generation.

Building on the Cultural Olympiad and events and projects across the country this event will bring together leading figures from journalism, sports and the arts to lead a change that will impact on every aspect of society.

Disability is set to become increasingly central to debates in health, education, employment and the arts. This, first in a planned series of ‘Leading Through Change’ seminars, the event provides an open opportunity to shape this increasingly urgent debate.

Speakers include:

Will Self in conversation with Mike Shamash reflecting on how writing about disability has changed and the potential for a new paradigm

Esther Fox, Director for Accentuate the Paralympic inspired legacy programme, in discussion with Paralympian Kristina Veasey and disabled actor, Jamie Beddard about their personal experience of disability in the world of arts and sport

Ruth Gould, CEO of DaDaFest, about how the media helped bring record-breaking audiences to the hugely successful disability arts festival: ‘DadaFest 2010′ – and about how excitement is building for this year’s event

‘Disability Arts and the Media’ is one of a series of ‘Leading Through Change’ seminars that bring people together from a wide range of fields to consider the leading role of the arts – and disability arts in particular – in a changing world.

Feedback from this event will be used to create a delegate pack and media resource to support people reporting on disability and disability related arts.

Tickets are limited. Please RSVP to kelly@shapearts.org.uk to reserve your place by no later than the 15th June.