DaDaFestInternational 40 brings you ‘Rage, A Quiet Riot!’.
Rage is something many disabled artists and individuals within our community feel. There is a sense of exhaustion and hopelessness that we often encounter in conversations. There is unspoken rage at the hidden hierarchy in wider disabled communities, often exacerbated by systems that reinforce how valuable or invaluable disabled people are by invoking a scoring scale to decide who needs what,most.
Through visual art, DaDa artists bring you different expressions of ‘Rage’ with an opportunity to review, reflect and interact with these interesting pieces of work.
Rage, Riot and Revolution
Open Eye Gallery
For over four decades, disabled women in Liverpool and the North West have been powerful agents of change locally, nationally and internationally, reshaping their communities and the way society views disabled people. This exhibition celebrates the achievements of female activists, artists, leaders and champions of disability activism, highlighting their essential contributions to both local and global progress.
Launching on International Women’s Day, this exhibition celebrates their resilience, ingenuity, and impact. Through photography captured by Jan Williams, we illuminate their stories as activists fighting for equal rights, as artists reshaping cultural narratives, and as leaders in our communities. Included in this exhibition are portraits of: Ruth Fabby, Kaite O’Reiley, Cheryl Martin, Liz Carr, Amina Atiq & Pam Thomas.
“It is the systems that continue to disempower and disable us, not us.”
(Zoe Partington DaDa, CEO)
There will be elements of pre-recorded Audio Description available and supporting audio information.
Booking info: This is an open exhibition free to pop into during Open Eye Gallery opening hours.
Various locations across Liverpool City Region
Zoe Partington is an artist in her own right and created light sculptures featuring slogans which have relevance to disability activism and issues disabled people experience. The work conveys stories, messages and insights into disabled people’s struggles in a world in where society still excludes us from the mainstream. Disabled people still exist ‘on the edges’ and have to fight for equity. These neon signs convey a snapshot of disability history in a simple format with a powerful message.
Look out for these signs, which will be appearing in venues across the city region, including: The Bluecoat, The Palm House in Sefton Park, The Williamson Art Gallery in Birkenhead, Liverpool Lime Street Station and more.
Credit: Disabled People’s movement, Barbara Lisicki, Johnny Crescendo and Tony Heaton
Access: This exhibition can be viewed in person at the venues taking part and will be available to view online (with ALT Text descriptions and supporting audio information). Further access and venue info will be linked here soon.
Booking info: this exhibition will be free to access. Pop to each of the venues shown on our map during opening hours to experience them all or visit our online gallery.
DaDaFest @ The Bluecoat
The Bluecoat has a long relationship with deaf and disability arts organisation DaDaFest, having been based in the building since 2008. As part of their 40th birthday year, this archive exhibition charts the various festivals, events and exhibitions hosted at the arts centre.
There will be elements of pre-recorded Audio Description available and supporting audio information.
Cost: FREE
Booking info: No need to book. Pop in to view the exhibition during Bluecoat opening times.
Sefton Park Palm House
Commissioned to create new work for DDFI40, responding to the theme of ‘Rage’, artists Faith Bebbington and Dr Janet Price launch ‘Pimp my Wheelchair’. Faith and Janet are ‘pimping up’ our prosthetics, dressing up crutches, wheelchairs, hearing aids (and more) with sculptures inspired by plants that use defence mechanisms to express rage against attack. From the thorn that pricks, to plants with leaves that close against touch, the new sculptures celebrate their challenge to ableism in the world.
There will be elements of pre-recorded Audio Description available and supporting audio information.
Booking Info: No need to book to view the sculptures. Simply pop in during Sefton Park Palm House opening hours. Booking will be required for the launch of this exhibition on March 9th, details coming soon. Visit our website for more details.
FACT & Online
Matt’s practice explores dreams, reality and anxiety. His work sits between video games, live performance and visual art, having previously created artworks for performances, live art events and festivals. As a disabled artist making work about his lived experience, Matt’s practice draws upon autobiographical material to create interactive artworks.
Matt is a recipient of FACT’s 2024 Digital Artist Residencies programme, produced in partnership with DaDa and Lucid Games. For this residency, supported in partnership with DaDa, Matt has created a new digital artwork about myalgia encephalomyelitis (M.E.) and chronic fatigue.
Booking info: No need to book. Experience Matt’s work during FACT opening hours, or via the online exhibition, which will be linked here during the festival.
DaDa @ 40: Dive into our Archive
Everyman Theatre Bar, Hope Street
5.30pm Launch, March 19th
We are thrilled to be working in partnership with disabled curator Gill Crawshaw and the Young Everyman Playhouse (YEP) Producers group to develop and share this pilot exhibition.
Over 40 years, DaDa has amassed a huge archive of material and memorabilia. Working with the YEP Producers, Gill will be sharing her experience and expertise in curating as a disabled person. The YEP group will be delving into our archive to share a snapshot of DaDa’s history from their own perspective. We’re keen to find out which images speak to them and to start a dialogue exploring how we continue to support, champion and develop disability arts with future generations.
There will be elements of pre-recorded Audio Description available and supporting audio information.
Booking info: No need to book. Come along to the launch event, or drop in during Everyman opening hours, to enjoy the exhibition at your leisure.
