Seven inclusive principles for supporting disabled people during Covid

New guidance has been launched for arts and cultural organisations on working with disabled people during the Covid crisis.

The Seven Inclusive Principles for Arts & Cultural Organisations working safely through Covid-19, which were published this week, offer practical guidance on how to support disabled artists, audiences, visitors, participants and employees.  

Endorsed by the Museums Association and a range of other leading sector bodies, the guidance is intended to ensure that deaf, neurodiverse and disabled people are not discriminated against as creative work begins again and as venues reopen.

The seven principles were jointly developed by five organisations that campaign for disability rights in arts and culture: We Shall Not Be Removed, Ramps on the Moon (pictured above), Attitude is Everything, What Next? and Paraorchestra.

The principles highlight the importance of: legal obligations, combating ableism in the sector, consulting directly with disabled people, comprehensive public information on Covid measures, remapping the customer journey, engagement of disabled artists and celebrating disability in the workforce.

They are applicable across all art forms and all four UK nations.

MA director Sharon Heal says: “We wholeheartedly support the Seven Principles, which are a timely reminder that museums need to work hard to support staff, visitors and community members that have a disability and that we need to be inclusive now more than ever.”