DaDaFest is a disability arts organisation based in Liverpool, UK. It delivers an international, biennial festival and organises other events to promote disability and deaf arts from a variety of cultural perspectives. Alongside the festival and events, DaDaFest organises opportunities for disabled and deaf people to gain access to the arts. This includes training and a youth focused programme.
DaDaFest is funded by Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council as well as other private and public sector partners.
History
DaDaFest was founded as Arts Integrated Merseyside (or AIM) as a part of the Shape Arts network in 1984. AIM was integral to the early campaign for greater equality and access for disabled people, but was not disability led.
With John McGrath as its Development Officer, the organisation became one of the UK's first disability control-led arts forums after it broke away from the Shape Network and set itself up as North West Disability Arts Forum (NWDAF) in 1986. It was formally constituted in 1990, with Mandy Colleran becoming its director. The organisation eventually re-branded itself to 'DaDa - Disability and Deaf Arts' in 2008 and again to 'DaDaFest' in 2012.
Festival
DaDaFest delivered its first international festival in 2001 and continued to put on yearly festivals until 2010 when it became a biennial. The festival has since taken place in 2012 and 2014 (8 November 2014 – 11 January 2015). The next DaDaFest International festival will take place from 18 November to 3 December 2016.
The organisation works with a number of partners to deliver the festival. These include: National Museums Liverpool, Liverpool Biennial, The Bluecoat, Liverpool Everyman, Liverpool Playhouse, FACT, Unity Theatre and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic amongst others.
2016 Festival
DaDaFest International 2014 presented high quality and exciting work produced by artists close to their home in Liverpool as well as internationally that will challenge ideals and celebrate disability culture. An exciting programme of music, dance, live arts, comedy and much more was presented." Highlights included: Amadou and Mariam - Amadou and Mariam, the Grammy Award nominated musical duo from Mali and DaDaFest International 2016 headliners, produce music that infuses traditional Malian sound with rock guitars and instruments from Cuba, Egypt, Syria and India in a combination that has been dubbed "Afro-blues". The Viewing by Matin O'Brien, Sheree Rose and Rhiannon Aarons - The Viewing is the final of a trilogy of works which were originally conceived by Rose and Bob Flanagan to address his early death from cystic fibrosis. DaDaFest International Congress – "All the world's a stage… But not if you can't get on it." - The two-day event explored how the arts are delivered from artists and practitioners from across the globe, and how the context within which we operate makes for exhilarating, diverse, disruptive and radical arts work. Assisted Suicide: The Musical - Disabled activist, actor and comedian Liz Carr has chosen the spectacular world of musical theatre as the backdrop to explore the complex and controversial subject of assisted suicide in her new show. Guide Gods - Using dance, live music, humour and interviews with religious leaders, academics and deaf and disabled people, acclaimed performer Claire Cunningham goes on a perilous quest to explore how the major world faiths view deafness and disability in this witty and illuminating show.
2014 Festival
DaDaFest International 2014 presented a "breathtaking array of high quality disability and Deaf arts from around the world." Highlights included: Art of the Lived Experiment - Curated by Aaron Williamson, this exhibition addressed the idea that life and art are in a state of continual change and uncertainty. The Ugly Girl by Terry Galloway (US) - a no-holds barred play with a wildly comic twist on the stereotype of a queer, disabled, intellectual trouble-maker. Backstage in Biscuit Land - the highly acclaimed show from Jess Thom. Staff Benda Bilili - the super-band appeared at the Philharmonic Hall.