Disabled Artists Launch Collective Manifesto Against Institutional Ableism in Art World

Edinburgh-based writer and performer Harry Josephine Giles co-curated Not Going Back To Normal, a collective disabled artists' manifesto featuring over 45 contributors. Conceived during the first COVID-19 lockdown, the project critiques the art world's 'institutional ableism' and rejects a return to pre-pandemic norms that excluded disabled artists. Commissioned by Scottish organizations including Edinburgh's Collective, Glasgow's CCA, and Arika, it exists as an online gallery of artworks, texts, and provocations. Giles criticizes funding systems that force artists to compete for limited resources, creating barriers for those with disabilities. Contributors like Alec Finlay, Simon Yuill, Chris Belous, and Vince Laws share raw perspectives on disability and art practice. While based in Scotland, the issues resonate globally, with initiatives like the US Disability Futures Fellows providing $1 million to 20 practitioners. In the UK, programs like Unlimited offer funding, but the manifesto demands fundamental change, including that Creative Scotland proactively invest in disabled artists and require funded organizations to ensure at least 20% disabled participation. Giles argues disabled artists cannot afford to pursue art under current systems, advocating for grassroots, bottom-up solutions over top-down approaches.