Sandra McLellan (Cork East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The arts and disability awards Ireland, ADAI scheme is a unique, all-Ireland project that is supporting and developing disabled and deaf people's involvement in the arts. It received funding from both Arts Councils on the island. According to the Arts Council:

The scheme aims to challenge and inspire creativity, experimentation and artistic excellence. Each applicant can apply for a maximum of £5,000 or the euro equivalent. The grants are to enable the production of new work.

The scheme is managed by Belfast based Arts and Disability Forum, ADF. The decision to withdraw the funding by the Arts Council was revealed in a letter to Chris Ledger, chief executive of ADF, which has managed the scheme on behalf of both Arts Councils since the year 2000. The Art's Council's letter stated that as a result of an 11% reduction in its own funding it has decided to explore alternative ways of meeting the needs of the arts and disability sector in Ireland and it decided to withdraw funding altogether. The scheme has allocated a total of €640,565.45 to 216 projects on the island since its inception in 2000. The scheme had been valuable in promoting the careers of disabled and deaf artists. The future is now uncertain for disabled and deaf artists as the cuts in funding signals the end of the ADAI.

ADAI is a unique cross-Border scheme which has benefitted dozens of disabled and deaf artists. It will come to an end unless the decision to withdraw funding is reversed. Artists from both sides of the Border who have received ADAI bursaries have gone on to win awards, commissions, recording or publishing deals and major grants. For example one artist was short-listed for the Hennessy literary award last year, two albums were released, a Wellcome Trust award was granted and an artist who got started with an ADAI grant has won seven international awards. Each of these is a success story in itself.

The ADAI programme has been extremely valuable in providing dedicated year round support for disabled and deaf artists who are on a professional career path. It has enabled them to compete in a very tough market.

The ADAI scheme itself is a past recipient of an Aisling award for cross-Border co-operation. One artist who benefited from the grants scheme, Cathy Henderson, recently completed a commissioned project with the internationally renowned Robert Ballagh to design a commemorative artwork celebrating the centenary of the 1913 Lockout and the establishment of the ITGWU. If we are serious about commemorating 1913 and all it stood for and represents in our history, we must set about establishing an inclusive society and must ensure artists with disabilities are supported and included.

I appeal to the Minster to use whatever influence he has, both financial and political, to ensure that funding is restored to this worthwhile project.

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