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Photograph of Chris Hammond by Tom Hammond

Chris Hammond: introduction

Leadership in Disability Arts

Joe Bidder interviews the pioneering Chris Hammond, director of Full Circle Arts in Manchester.

Disability Arts agencies, promoting the artistic talents of disabled people, have been a principal focal point in the human rights struggles for the emancipation of disabled people. Chris Hammond has an international reputation for her pioneering achievements at Full Circle Arts, the Manchester based disability arts agency where she is Artistic Director. She has modernised it, with an emphasis on quality and integrity, and influenced practice nationwide.

Born in 1958 in the Lancashire village of Brierfield, into a working class family rooted in the region's coal mines and cotton mills, there was little in her background to predict a career in the arts. At the local secondary modern school she passed eight GCEs, and then transferred to Nelson Colne College of Further Education. “By accident I enrolled on the arts foundation course which changed my life,” she says.

After A levels Hammond received a BA in Fine Art at Kent University, returned to Manchester in 1979, but was unable to find work during the recession. Married in 1980, with two sons by 1985, she became a part-time art teacher at Bury College, progressed to full time by 1989, and continued to paint in her studio.

She studied marketing, was appointed Marketing Director of Centra, the examinations board, but was sacked in 1991 after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (“There was no DDA legislation”, she remarks tersely), then started her own design business.

A disability arts cabaret in Morecombe was a liberating moment “It all came together for me” she recalls. “Disability politics, disability arts and the social model. It felt right.”

In 1993 she joined Full Circle Arts (FCA), then chaired by Tony Heaton, was appointed Artistic Director in 1996, and set about transforming its mission, concentrating on youth work, mentoring, a brilliant website, creating partnerships to provide training and employment opportunities for disabled artists.

“Society changes rapidly. We had to understand what disabled people wanted.” FCA consulted disabled artists and mainstream organisations: the results were significant. “87% of artists consulted felt trapped by the label disabled artist

FCA is the only arts organisation in Britain to achieve Approved Provider Status from the National Mentoring and Befriending Network. It has become the leader in mentoring; the model of best practice; the one imitated by others.