ImPArt

Our European project ImPArt took accessibility a step forward. It becomes a source of inspiration and encourages experiments. We have set out on an expedition with international artists with and without disabilities from various backgrounds that uncovers, taps into and makes tangible the tremendous artistic potential of truly accessible art at the theoretical and practical level.

2018 ALL IN Symposium in Köln. Viele Menschen sitzen im Theater und warten bis das Symposium los geht. Der Raum ist dunkel.

Claire Cunningham steht da. Nur ihr Oberkörper und ein Stück von ihren Beinen ist auf dem Bild zu erkennen. Sie streckt ihren rechten Arm in die Luft. Mit dem rechten Arm hält sie ihre Krücke fest. Die Krücke ist hinter ihr, auf ihrem Rücken. Sie hat die Augen geschlossen.

Das Foto zeigt sechs Menschen die in einem Kreis stehen und sich an den Händen halten. Das Foto zeigt eine Szene aus unserem international LAB.

Auf dem Boden liegen Menschen. Im Fokus des Bildes ist eine Frau. Sie liegt auf dem Rücken und hat ihre Beine nah am Körper. Mit beiden Armen umschlingt sie ihre Beine. Sie hat die Augen schlossen.

5 Frauen testen die Untertitel-Brillen von Panthea, beim ALL In Symposium 2018.

Menschen liegen am Boden und stretchen/strecken sich.

ALL IN: Symposium / Foto: Meyer Originals

International LAB / Foto: Almut Elhardt

ALL IN: Symposium / Foto: Meyer Originals

New artistic and aesthetic perspectives and approaches are born.

Project term: spring 2018 to autumn 2020

Today, accessibility in the arts usually translates as audio description, captioning or sign interpreting, which are perceived as alien elements outside the stage. The piece of art is objectified while emotional and artistic levels are neglected. Recipients with disabilities are partially deprived of the aesthetic experience and artists do not even get the chance to create accessible works of art.

ImPArt aims to find new creative ways to allow all human beings to have an equal experience of an artistic product. One question is vital in this: How can we use auxiliary means to become part of the performance, to become art themselves and to enrich the work of art through their own aesthetic possibilities? We feel accessibility gives innovative momentum to the artistic process. We believe we will find ways to make music accessible to deaf people, convey language used on stage to people with cognitive impairment or translate the artistic quality of a monologue by visualising its content. This is because we are convinced that art can be all of this: complex, subtle and accessible to all of us without compromising on quality. On the contrary, we are confident that this offers the chance to add new quality to the piece of art as well as the process.

Workshops, masterclasses, international symposia, international summits and international labs in Armenia, Germany, Greece and Italy have broken new ground for inclusion in the arts. Participants included artists and experts from various backgrounds such as dance, theatre, music, video and poetry. ImPArt enables us to re-think the stage, and to experiment with thoughts and approaches.
The result and artistic expression of this research trip were three interdisciplinary performances (Re:construction, Gravity, The Little Prince). The premiere of these performances was at the Greek National Opera, in Athens. Since then they have toured through Germany, Italy and other countries and have been presented to a wide European audience. The performances will continue their journey even after the end of the project and we will spread the innovative artistic approach »aesthetics of access« to promote equal participation in art and culture for everyone.