Young DaDaFest to Return for 15th Year Supporting Disabled and Deaf Artists

Young DaDaFest develops young disabled and Deaf artists, aged between 12 and 30 by providing them with a platform to perform in front of large audiences.

The annual event has grown significantly since its origins in 2003 and now includes both a performance focused event at the Liverpool Everyman and a music focused event at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall's new Music Room this week. The short festival now also recently included a number of fringe events, including Sandfest, an event created by students from Sandfield Park School.

The theme for this year's Young DaDaFest is Outside the Box. Young performers will examine how people are put into categories which can make them feel judged, isolated and limited. How do we break outside of the box?

Throughout the entire process, young people are provided with the opportunity to develop their skills. The DaDaFest Young Leaders make all key decisions on the running of the events and chose this year's acts following the initial call out. DaDaFest also provides mentoring and training opportunities for aspiring young performers.

Young DaDaFest 2017 will showcase a number of diverse and exciting performances. Local individual artists and organisations responded to a series of Open Commissions advertised by DaDaFest. This year's programme includes; Act Up! from Newham, London producing a chorus piece integrating poetry, 'sign-along' and rap; Warrington's Wolfprint performing Undivided, a contemporary dance piece; Owen Jones performing Beethoven's Dyslexia Poem and all new work by Young DaDaFest veterans The Champions, Arden Rockers, Like U Dance Company and more!

This year, DaDaFest is also rolling out an all new project DaDaFest Rookies; which aims to increase employability for young disabled people within the creative sector. Young people can take advantage of development grants, producer placements within creative organisations and mentoring with professional artists.

Sam Wade, Arts Manager at DaDaFest said: "The young people we work with are dedicated to increasing the quality of the work they produce, creating high quality work with strong messages. They come up with fresh new ideas and have big ambitions for each Young DaDaFest, increasing what we offer each year."

Ruth Gould, Artistic Director of DaDaFest said: "Once again the young people lead by talent passion and dedication to excellence. They make me proud and all should come and see and support them, they are the future."

IF YOU GO:

Young DaDaFest: Perform

Date: Thursday 13 July 2017 (6:30pm to 8:30pm)

Tickets: £5/£3

Venue: Liverpool Everyman

Running Time: 2 hours (including interval)

Access: British Sign Language Interpretation, Audio Description & Relaxed Performance

Booking Info: Tickets Available via the Everyman & Playhouse Box Office

Young DaDaFest: Music

Date: Friday 14 July 2017 (6:30pm to 8:30pm)

Tickets: £5/£3

Venue: Music Room at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Running Time: 2 hours (including interval)

Access: British Sign Language Interpretation & Relaxed Performance

Booking Info: Tickets Available via Liverpool Philharmonic Box Office

DaDaFest is a cutting-edge, innovative disability and d/Deaf arts organisation based in Liverpool. Working across the North West, as well as nationally and internationally, DaDaFest has been at the forefront of disability arts since the organisation began in 1984. DaDaFest delivers a biennial festival and other arts events to promote high quality disability and d/Deaf arts from unique cultural perspectives. Alongside this, DaDaFest produces a robust young peoples' programme, which includes the yearly Young DaDaFest and the new "Rookies" project which aims to increase employability within the creative sector for young disabled people through training, grants, mentoring and placements. DaDaFest is disabled-led and disability focused, but for absolutely everyone. Working to the Social Model of Disability, DaDaFest seek to establish an inclusive social understanding of disability and reflect the lived experience of disabled people. DaDaFest is thankful for funding from Arts Council England and Liverpool City Council. To find out more about DaDaFest, visit www.dadafest.co.uk.