So, I haven’t written an accessibility rider. But I should. I have avoided it because it means I have to confront my own physical limitations , and I simply don’t want to.
Organising Gŵyl Cariad, I’ve had to see accessibility from the ‘other side’. I know how hard it is to get sh*t done as a crip artist. Before you do anything, you must ask yourself, can I physically or mentally do this? What will be the physical cost to me? There will be a cost; it will more than likely hurt and, at worst, put your safety or life at risk. So good inclusion policies and supplying and sticking with your own accessibility statement helps the whole Shabang work! But I can tell you the mental work of getting that rider done is huge! It is much more painful than any physical pain you will ever feel. It challenges and questions the validity of your very existence… hard stuff… That isn’t easy to appreciate if you’ve never been there, and I dearly wish you never have to travel that road.
Aberystwyth is not crip friendly, to be honest very few places are. So an accessibility statement and inclusivity policy will have to be developed.
I am forever inspired by the crip artist Delphi Campbell, and her resistance. She will never exhibit again in a place that is not accessible, lessons hard learned in Oxford and Venice. See her wonderful work here: https://www.delphicampbell.com/
I am a member of DAC https://www.disabilityarts.cymru/
Their accessibility pack will be my guide
https://www.disabilityarts.cymru/creativityismistakes
as well as the inkinclusion pack I mentioned in an early blog post. https://www.inklusionguide.org/
Right I’m off to develop my access rider and Gŵyl Cariad Festival inclusion policy. Wish me luck.
Mx.D.P 
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