Latest news with #disabledArtists
BBC News
26-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Rowsley car park traveller plan rejected by council
Plans for a council traveller site in a Derbyshire town have been rejected after facing opposition from residents and other local Tuesday, Derbyshire Dales District Council opted to reject its own application for a temporary two-year plot on the Old Station Close car park in highlighted the reduction in parking spaces, impact on a disabled arts charity and its users, disruption to residents and businesses and the effect on a neighbouring cycle followed nearly 100 objections from residents filed to the council, along with opposition from Derbyshire county and Rowsley parish councils. Legal challenge The planning application had followed a district council approval in December to allocate temporary two-year traveller sites for specific families for parts of the year – with Rowsley only to be used between March and Hobson, former district council leader, said she "strongly" objected to the plans and she had made formal complaints to the authority over what she felt had been a "flawed process".She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service there would have been a legal challenge made to the council if the plans had been Hobson said there had been a failure to properly assess equality and that the scheme represented a "travesty of planning and a betrayal of the people of Rowsley". Kerry Andrews, director of the neighbouring Level Arts Centre for disabled artists, claimed there was "ingrained ableism and discrimination" demonstrated by the whose children use the centre said it needed protection to retain its viability and community benefit, with concerns over the lack of essential parking for disabled Gibbs, an objecting resident, said his newly opened flour business could have been at risk of closing if the plans were approved, after takings were halved when part of the car park was used by Severn Trent earlier this year. John Youatt, a campaigner and planning consultant who has advocated for housing travellers on an approved site known as the Woodyard, near Cromford, claimed travellers had been "discriminated against for 15 years".Steve Buffery, strategic planning manager for the county council, said the plot was not suitable for a traveller site, citing its proximity to a cycling and walking route and the potential perception they would be "isolated" and "segregated" from the surrounding Simmonds, interim development manager for the district council, said the "perfect" traveller site did not exist and that this plot would have provided temporary relief for some of the district's needs.
Arab News
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Deaf artist breaks barriers with solo debut in Jeddah
JEDDAH: 'It's never too late to follow your dream,' says Elham Abu Talib, who has held her first solo exhibition in Jeddah after 38 years. The Saudi artist is no stranger to the local art scene, having taken part in exhibitions across the Kingdom and overcome the barriers accompanying being severely deaf. And at the Saudi Arabian Society of Culture and Arts in Jeddah on Sunday, Abu Talib showcased more than 40 paintings to leading artists and lovers of the genre. Titled 'Inspiration,' the exhibition marked a milestone, presenting her work to the public while highlighting her artistic journey amid years of persistence. Abu Talib hopes to represent the Kingdom in international competitions. She also hopes the arts society will continue supporting disabled and female artists by providing platforms for their creativity. Her passion began in childhood, when natural talent blossomed into fine art shaped by a beautiful dream. She lost her hearing as a child and faced speech difficulties, but met her challenges with patience, courage, and ambition. Determined to express herself, she used a brush and colors as her voice — turning her childhood dreams into vivid reality. She shared that hearing loss kept her from entering university, but her late father convinced her it did not mean giving up her ambitions. Inspired by his words, she began participating in exhibitions while raising her children and fulfilling her duties as a mother. She believes her disability has sharpened her visual perception — a gift she channels into her art. 'I'm so happy that, after 38 years, my dream has come true with this solo exhibition,' she said. 'I thank the Saudi Arabian Society of Culture and Arts in Jeddah for giving me this opportunity.' Abu Talib hopes to represent the Kingdom in international competitions. She also hopes the arts society will continue supporting disabled and female artists by providing platforms for their creativity. Maha Abdulhalim Radwi, secretary-general of the Radwi Art Prize, said the artist had finally achieved a major milestone, adding: 'This event allowed her to showcase her unique perspective and creative talent to a wider audience, proving that art transcends communication barriers.' Mohammed Al-Subaih, the director general of the SASCA, said Abu Talib had dreamed of a solo exhibition for nearly four decades — and was now finally living that dream. He added: 'She's participated with us in many workshops and group exhibitions; now it's time to celebrate her first solo show. 'She deserves all the support and encouragement.'
New York Times
07-05-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Axis Dance Explores New Frontiers With Mobility Technology
What are crutches for? To help an injured or disabled person get from Point A to Point B? Like most mobility devices, crutches are often designed and viewed in a matter-of-fact medical framework. There is a problem to be fixed; the device is the solution. Performances by Axis Dance Company routinely explode that idea. For Axis — an Oakland, Calif., ensemble of both disabled and non-disabled dancers — a crutch brims with creative possibilities: It might be a partnering support, a third leg, an elongated arm. But what happens when that expansive way of thinking is applied to the design of the device itself? What kinds of movement might be possible if, for example, a crutch could extend and retract?
