Dadafest is an innovative and cutting edge disability and deaf arts organisation based in Liverpool that was established in 1984 with the mission of inspiring, developing and celebrating talent and excellence in disability and deaf arts. Dadafest uses the arts to educate, challenge attitudes and remove the barriers that restrict life choices for disabled people to live independently and equally in society.
Dadafest believes that disabled and deaf people are socially, economically and culturally disadvantaged and discriminated against and they work to the social model of disability. This model identifies systemic barriers, negative attitudes and exclusion by society (purposely or inadvertently) that mean society is the main contributory factor in disabling people. The arts provide a platform that can be used to challenge the prevalent negative perceptions of disabled people, highlight inequalities and promote socially just alternatives. Through stimulating and supporting excellent disability and deaf arts from a wide variety of cultural perspectives they promote and improve the social understanding of disability.
COUNTERSPACE 