Beyond barriers

A new online exhibition challenges the art world's claims of inclusion and foregrounds disabled creatives' experiences of access, exclusion and joy

- By Caroline Butterwick

'I had a lot of frustration about the performance of diversity, equality and inclusion," says curator Nathalie Boobis.

Feeling that the art world's commitment to access for disabled people was often performative rather than manifesting a sincere commitment to change, Boobis decided to step away.

But then came an opportunity to be the in-house curator for Disability Arts Online's new exhibition space dis place, and she felt this was finally her chance to highlight disabled experiences in art.

Her inaugural exhibition for dis_place is called I Need to Be More Than a Lesson You Learned.

Featuring the work of nine artists and collectives working across several media, it explores the ways in which disabled artists have experienced

Feeling that the art world's commitment to access for disabled people was often performative rather than manifesting a sincere commitment to change, Boobis decided to step away.

But then came an opportunity to be the in-house curator for Disability Arts Online's new exhibition space dis_place, and she felt this was finally her chance to highlight disabled experiences in art. Her inaugural exhibition for dis_place is called I Need to Be More Than a Lesson You Learned. Featuring the work of nine artists and collectives working across several media, it explores the ways in which disabled artists have experienced inaccessibility within the art world and wider society.