Increasing demand among hard-to-reach groups
Increasing demand among hard-to-reach groups
By
Jeannie Arthur
SUMMARY
A summary of the findings from ‘Culture on Demand’ research, which explored how demand is formed for the arts, the practical barriers for disabled people and what influences engagement among black and minority ethnic audiences and lower socio-economic groups. It includes two case studies: Balti Buses and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.
Disabled people
The vast majority of the literature on disability reiterates the importance of practical barriers in determining levels of engagement. These barriers aside, the drivers which most strongly pertain to disability groups include:
• The desire to feel ‘normal’ – that is, to belong as a full member of society. In many cases this desire can override all others and it is important to recognise that many people who have a limiting condition do not consider themselves disabled in the first place.
