Image Description - two female performers are seated close together facing each other, caught in a natural moment chatting backstage. Karen Sheader is facing Lindsay Carter who has sparkling blue make up on her cheek. Lindsay has her hand to her mouth as she chats and is holding a soft toy - a dog wearing comedy glasses. It is a lovely intimate moment.

About On Whose Shoulders We Build

Heralding a new wave of Disability Art in the North East, we are delighted to be working in collaboration with Black Robin who has secured funding from Arts Council England to develop a living archive to gather and create a platform to share work from disabled artists past and present. It is essential to collate a body of otherwise hidden work from the disability arts community and to reflect the work undertaken by many to bring about the change we have today.

Singer Minika Green performing at Sage Gateshead. A side profile, Minika has twists in her hair and is singing into a microphone held in her hand.

A cover of Mimosa Magazine, with writer and performer Deborah Williams on the cover. She is covered in pink post it notes.

Singer songwriter Karen Sheader, singing at an ARCADEA event at Dance City. Side profile, Karen has short brown hair, and is singing into a microphone on a stand.

On Whose Shoulders We Build will launch with an exhibition at ARC Stockton, celebrating the pioneering work of a vibrant artistic community. The North East has a rich and proud tradition of self-organised disability arts practice, which has remained discreet and hidden. Through a series of interviews, workshops & written commissions, the specific & rich nature of disability art in the North East is put centre-stage. Fascinating portraits, quotes and artefacts reflecting the voices, contemporary work & thinking of disabled people from our region.