In the Netherlands, several foundations focus on the improvement of the position of disabled citizens in the cultural sector. Examples of these foundations are Special Arts (that aims to improve the artistic participation of the disabled) and 5D (that tries to enhance the position of the disabled in the performing arts sector). Also, initiatives such as Creative Access (sign language or subtitles) and Disabled Led Theatre are used to improve the accessibility of performing arts for citizens with vision problems in particular.[1]
The Netherlands ratified the UN-declaration on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2016. The convention ensures disabled citizens to have equal rights in society regarding, for example, housing-, education- and cultural facilities. A plan was constructed in 2017 by the Ministry of Public Health, Well-Being and Sport to implement the guidelines of the convention in the Netherlands.
National legislation includes the Participation Act, which focuses on the improvement of inclusiveness on the labour market. One of the goals of the law is to stimulate cultural organisations to hire the disabled.
The Minister of Education, Culture and Science, Ingrid van Engelshoven, explicitly mentioned the Dutch disabled citizens in her 2018 letter Culture in an open society: “Culture is by and for everyone. Regardless of where you live, who your family are or what your own cultural background is. Regardless of age, sex, disability or education.” In October 2018, she announced an investment of EUR 1 million to improve the connection between the cultural- and social domain, and this investment includes a reserved budget for Dutch citizens with a disability. On an international level, the Netherlands collaborates with, among others, Creative Europe. Creative Europe started the four-year project Europe Beyond Access in 2018 to improve the inclusion of the disabled within the cultural field and the performing arts. Seven dance and theatre organisations and more than 900 artists are involved in the project. An example is the Dutch organisation Holland Dance Festival and their dance activities for the disabled (DancAble).
[1] Keulemans, Chris. 2018. “De segregatie die niemand wil en die niet nodig is.” Boekman 115: 44-47.
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