Appreciation For The Arts Beyond A Disability

Equality will always be the subject of many heated debates and arguments from then until now. While there are many things that divide people these days, there are still apparently some common denominators that bridge the gap between the rich and poor, gifted and not, or healthy and sickly. The arts will always be that bridge that continues to connect and inspire people of all walks of life.

Who says that you can’t appreciate the arts if you have a disability? You may be lacking in a sense or two but other senses are heightened to make up for what you don’t have. Dabbling with the arts gives differently-abled individuals a newfound freedom to express themselves without being limited by their disabilities. It also allows them to experience a sense of belongingness to the craft and other artists especially to the ones with disabilities themselves.

Being blind yet creating visual arts is just one of the many achievements made possible thanks to the work of the disability charity Open Arts.

And now as part of its 25th anniversary celebrations this year, the charity is giving everyone a chance to see the great work being produced at its art classes with a unique exhibition throughout the month in the Black Box, Belfast.

Embroidery, watercolour and action painting are just some of the techniques which will be showcased in the Three in One exhibition, featuring artwork created by people attending three weekly visual arts groups run by Open Arts.

Eileen Branagh, chief executive of Open Arts,