Accentuate is the 2012 Legacy Programme for the South East. Accentuate consists of 15 ambitious projects which represent the arts, film, tourism, business, sport and heritage. The aim is to promote the talent of deaf and disabled people in whatever area they work in. This blog is from Our View - a group of talented deaf and disabled people who act as an internal steering group as well as have direct relationships with the individual projects. Accentuate is funded by Legacy Trust UK, an independent charity whose mission is to support a wide range of innovative cultural and sporting activities, which celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has also invested significant financial support in Accentuate, as have the regional cultural agencies.

Accessible Carnival! by Kristina Veasey

26 July 2011

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A sunny Sunday and the perfect day for a carnival! My partner and 3 year old in tow, I headed off to Horsham Park in West Sussex. Horsham Carnival goes by the name of Sparks In the Park and this year has been included as part of the London 2012 Open Weekend. A celebration of the one year countdown to the olympic and paralympic games, the carnival encouraged local people to ‘Shout Out’ about the themes they cared about. Local guides groups chose Water Aid as their theme of choice and...

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Colin Hambrook gives an overview on some of the achievements of Driving Inspiration

24 July 2011

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On 14th July Mandeville School played host to a massive celebration of the work produced by artists, paralympians and students from all 14 schools who have taken part in Driving Inspiration. The day consisted of a frenetic hive of activity: exhibitions, performances and workshops giving 350 students an incredible opportunity to get an idea of the breadth and excitement of the project. I went along to work with some of the children to give them an opportunity to blog on DAO...

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Driving Inspiration schools children blog about their experience of the celebration day at Mandeville School on 14 July 2011

16 July 2011

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Driving Inspiration is an accentuate project that has been sending disabled artists and sports personalities into 14 schools across the South East over the last year. On 14th July a celebration day was held at Mandeville school showcasing work from all the schools. On the day children from the schools that took part wrote blog entries looking back at the work they had done as well as reflecting on the day itself. Students from Cressex Community School Names: Aroosa Ali, Ella & Sarish Dance...

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Sport v Art - A personal perspective and provocation - by Jamie Beddard

13 March 2011

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As arts-practitioner and sports-goer, these respective arenas of ‘blood, sweat and tears’, have both, played significant roles in my 40-odd(!) years on this planet, and are inextricably linked to my lifestyle and identity. If, as I believe, we are born as blank pages, to be shaded by our every experience, much of my biography would be given over to doing art and watching sport. Theatre is my art of choice, whilst Ipswich Town Football Town are my sporting albatross. In crude terms,...

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Directors Blog on influencing the decision makers

31 January 2011

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Accentuate has had a busy January, catching up with our projects after the Christmas break, meeting with the Our View Core Group and attending events. One exciting opportunity to showcase Accentuate and the organisations we work with was a visit by Andy Hunt to Surrey and Kent. Andy Hunt is the Chief Executive of the British Olympic Association (BOA). Accentuate was given the opportunity to present to him during his visit to the impressive Surrey Sports Park. Surrey County Council provided a...

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Kristina Veasey on the pros and cons of being PC

21 January 2011

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When is language offensive and when is it too PC (if there is such a thing)? I have a friend who works in an office where a colleague was disciplined for putting up a poster advertising 'a girls' night out' as this was both excluding men and self-diminishing for woman-kind. I thought I was pretty pc until I heard that! In a former work role I was advised I shouldn't use the word 'lady' and that 'woman' was more appropriate. I find this quite difficult as I was brought up to see the word 'woman'...

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Colin Hambrook on definitions - am I disabled or do I have a disability?

15 December 2010

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Definitions can either divide us or unite us in our search for identity and validation. But it's not easy. How long is the piece of string we use to tackle ideas around the discrimination we face. I am referring here to the Social Model of Disability which challenges the idea that we 'have disabilities.' As people with impairments - we are disabled by the barriers that prevent us from taking a full and equal part in society. We live with disability in our day-to-day struggle to combat...

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Jon Adams goes to Stoke Mandeville for an International Paralympic committee Shooting event

25 October 2010

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There is a certain stigma attached to the word ‘gun’. The words say more about others misunderstandings and attitudes - and as a person with a hidden disability we all know what that is like. Shooting is certainly not just about killing anything. – do people put that connotation on archery for example? Its interesting to me that people don’t look below the surface on the skills level – they just assume guns hurt people which like anything (including words) in the...

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Jamie Bedard, reviews Channel 4s ‘Inside Incredible Athletes’ - screened on 29 August 2010

1 October 2010

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My initial misgivings over the title, with scary reverberations of the deeply patronising film ‘Inside I’m Dancing’, soon receded as a highly-polished and creative documentary revealed the characters amongst, stories behind and challenges facing British Paralympians as they gear up to the London 2012. The Paralympic movement has come along way since humble beginnings in Stoke Mandeville in 1948, and the programme provided compelling evidence that disabled athletes deserve...

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Kristina Veasey visits Creative Landscapes at the English Heritage Open Day events in Hastings, East Sussex

1 October 2010

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9-12 September 2010 saw the opening of many of our nation’s treasured museums, houses and places of historical interest in a celebration of our national heritage. On the Sunday afternoon we were headed for the fishing quarter. For anyone who isn’t familiar with the tall, tarred, wooden huts that tower above the shingle beach I must tell you that you are missing a visual treat. The Net Shops are huts built tall to save on space and with the function of providing space for the...

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Esther Fox introduces Accentuate and Our View

30 September 2010

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Accentuate is the 2012 Legacy Programme for the South East. Accentuate consists of 15 ambitious projects which represent the arts, film, tourism, business, sport and heritage. All 15 projects aim to promote the talent of deaf and disabled people in whatever area they work in. Accentuate also provides a variety of opportunities for disabled people to take part and to lead. The inspiration for Accentuate is the Paralympic Movement. This started at Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire and this is...

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Kristina Veasey plays Wheels of Glory at the launch of Gaming! at Pinewood Studios

15 August 2010

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On 13th July I was invited to the launch of Wheels Of Glory, a new computer game based around the Paralympics. Before attending, I knew very little about how this project had progressed and was curious to see what had been created, how and by whom. The launch was held at the Pinewood Studios and involved a chance to meet those involved and to play the game itself. Gaming! is an Accentuate project run in partnership with Creative Junction that aims to engage young people in the production of a...

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Sarah Playforth goes to Stoke Mandeville for a Playground to Podium event.

8 August 2010

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On the last Saturday in July, I spent six hours on trains travelling to and from Stoke Mandeville stadium to observe the Playground to Podium event. I had a programme but had no real idea what I'd discover. I was welcomed by Jess Cook, who was an interesting, informative and inspiring escort. She took me to observe several different groups of disabled children trying out athletic track and field events, wheelchair basketball, table tennis, swimming etc. I found the approach to disability in...

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Jamie Bedard asks am I disabled, or am I an artist?

15 July 2010

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Am I disabled? Am I an artist? Most definitely the former, arguably and intermittently, the latter. As for being a ´disabled artist;’ a minefield of assumptions, perceptions and definitions underlie this seemingly straight-foward description. I have, in the past, just ´got on with it´, without taking the time or care to analyse my real position in this morass of identity politics. However, as I do believe all art has a political dimension, and am supposed to be an...

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Colin Hambrook talks to Talking to Esther Gill, English Heritage Outreach Manager for Creative Landscapes

6 July 2010

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Talking to Esther Gill, English Heritage Outreach Manager it became apparent that Creative Landscapes aims to fulfil several key aims of accentuate beyond expectations. Encouraging accessibility and welcoming disabled people is key to the legacy Creative Landscapes intends to embed within Heritage Open Days in Gosport and Hastings in Sussex. Over the next three years this work will be offered as an example of good practice to be set as a precedent to be emulated at Heritage Open Days across...

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