The Welsh media consortium has announced the first Accessible Futures Summit to boost inclusivity and promote D/deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent (DDN) talent in the industry.
Set to take place at the Royal Welsh College for Music and Drama in Cardiff, organisers sad the summit will bring members of the media sector together and showcase ways in which they can become more disability confident.
According to the organisation, a quarter of Wales’ population identifies as disabled. With under 8 per cent DDN representation on and off screen, Media Cymru, in collaboration with the University of South Wales, is aiming to enable attendees to gain a better understanding of how to hire, include, train and support DDN talent. Ways to identify sources of funding and resources will also be highlighted.
Industry professionals will consider best practice in accessibility, inclusion and representation across all aspects of screen production, with a number of disabled creatives sharing their experience and knowledge throughout the summit. Support and funding for the summit has been provided by the Welsh Government via Creative Wales, with sponsorship from S4C and TAC.
Virtual production company, Glassshot, a disability owned creative company funded by Media Cymru, will present at the summit.
Commenting on the idea behind the summit, Sally Lisk-Lewis from the University of South Wales said: “There’s already so much good work happening in Wales to diversify the on/off screen narrative in Wales, which we intend to showcase at the summit. But there’s much more we can and should be doing to allow everyone to thrive in our sector. Inclusive design benefits us all, from those with caring responsibilities or temporary health conditions, to individuals experiencing painful grief or poor mental health.”
The inaugural Accessible Futures Summit takes place on the 10th September. To find out more or register for the event:
EN = https://culture.research.southwales.ac.uk/research/media-cymru/accessible-futures-summit/
CYM = https://culture.research.southwales.ac.uk/cy/prosiectau-ymchwil/media-cymru-cym/uwchgynhadledd-dyfodol-hygyrch/
