As the attending arts population in Wales continues to grow, The Arts Council of Wales (ACW) is to launch Moving Beyond, a new arts and disability strategy to improve access to venues and performances across the country. The strategy advances the excellent work already taking place to ensure that disabled people have full and equal opportunity to access the arts in Wales. The strategy has been produced following wide consultation with disabled people in Wales and sets out clear plans for future development and ACW’s commitment to disability equality in all aspects of its work. The Arts Council of Wales has worked closely with leading bodies such as Disability Arts Cymru to provide training and support to arts venues and providers across Wales for a number of years. Diane Hebb, Head of Inclusion, Participation and Equalities commenting on the strategy said, “The real challenge for both ACW and the sector as a whole lies in supporting the development and growth of a Disability Arts Culture in Wales. The new strategy has at its heart a commitment to supporting new and emerging disabled artists and disability led arts organisations and also to ensuring that disabled people have full engagement with the arts. This is a vibrant and exciting arts culture that previously has not had a foothold within Wales and which with recognition and support can become an integral part of our arts landscape.” Maggie Hampton, Director, Disability Arts Cymru added, “Moving Beyond is an extremely important strategy for disabled artists and arts consumers in Wales; it will give a real boost to disabled artists. This strategy lays the foundations for all we need to make the arts in Wales fully inclusive and accessible. Central to this is The Arts Council of Wales’ recognition of the need to remove the disabling barriers that prevent us from accessing the arts in the first place. Moving Beyond will have a profound impact on the accessibility of the arts in Wales.” For further information, CLICK HERE For information about Moving Beyond, CLICK HERE