One of the leading disability-led organization in Nigeria that focuses on mobilizing support for persons with disabilities in creative arts, Potters Gallery Initiative launched a new project om improving market access for artists and creatives with disabilities.
The launch of the new project funded by IFCD/ UNESCO was done using a media roundtable meeting.
The Executive Director of the group, Mr. Donald Unanka in his opening speech said that the media roundtable is very strategic to the project because it is a key tool in engaging stakeholders and promoting useful policy dialogue on disability inclusion in the arts and creative industry in Nigeria.
“We believe the outcome of this media roundtable will go a long way to promote useful conversation and shape public policy in mainstreaming disability issues and concerns in the thriving arts and creative sector in Nigeria”.
He said that the project will improve access to markets for the artists and creatives with disabilities in Nigeria and the key objectives are:
“To reinforce the capacities and networks of persons with disabilities, to strengthen stakeholders’ comment in the creative industry towards facilitating the inclusion of artists and creatives with disabilities, and to promote access to local, national and international markets for artists and creatives with disabilities through digital platforms”.
He reeled out some activities under the project which includes boot camps in Lagos and Abuja to build capacities of CSOs and creatives with disabilities, a media roundtable to engage stakeholders in the creative industry, focus group meetings in Lagos and Abuja to deepen the engagement of key stakeholders and creatives with disabilities on policy issues, and publishing a policy brief on issues and strategies for the inclusion of artists/creatives with disabilities into the cultural and creative industry in Nigeria.
He also said that the project will provide a mobile application that will help to showcase the creative works of PWDs.
He also said that under the project, they will conduct a communication campaign that includes daily and weekly posts on the organizational Social Media handles as well as blogs. They will also conduct a stakeholders’ validation meeting in Abuja to present the policy and to launch the mobile application.
The group added that a hashtag, #SUPPORTCREATIVITY, would be used as part of the awareness campaign on marketing the creativity of persons with disabilities in the arts and creative industry.
The Executive Secretary of National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Mr. James David Lalu in his speech appreciated Potters Gallery Initiative for a wonderful initiative. He urged all other stakeholders see the inclusion of PWDs as a matter of right.
Speaking further, he pledged to support Potters Gallery towards improving arts and creativity among persons with disabilities.
Mr. Lalu advised the group to ensure that the products meet international standards for export to other parts of the world, and for national and international exhibitions.
The meeting featured the sensitization of media practitioners on Concept of Disability Inclusion, Advocacy Strategies for Improving Market Access, and the role of media in Improving Market Access for PWDs.
