D/deaf and disabled artists and arts workers face additional barriers in establishing a career the creative industries. Below we have collated various resources that you might find helpful in developing the creative practice for you or your organisation.
The page is split into the follow sections:
- Internal Documents
- External Links & Documents (jump to section)
- Interviews with artists (jump to section)
Artist Interviews
We have spoken to some of the UK’s best and brightest D/deaf and disabled talent from the performing arts, so you can understand the decision process that steered them through their career and discover what they believe is important to give yourself the best chance at establishing a career.
Nickie Miles-Wildin
Nickie Miles-Wildin biography
Nickie Miles-Wildin is a director and theatre maker. As an actor she’s well known for her role as Miranda in the Paralympics Opening Ceremony London 2012. Directing credits include: Bingo Lingo (co-director/Wild N Beets), Disability Sex Archives, Two Can Toucan (TwoCan Theatre), Nana’s Jumble (Kazzum), Staff Director on Mosquitoes (Dorfman, National Theatre), Associate Director on Tommy (Ramps On The Moon National Tour), Assistant Director credits: The House of Bernarda Alba (Graeae/Manchester Royal Exchange), Lost and Found (GDance), Blood Wedding (Graeae/Dundee Rep/Derby Theatre), Waiting Game (Kazzum), Wheels on Broadway (Graeae). Nickie is an Associate Artist for Kazzum. In 2014 Nickie co-founded TwoCan, Gloucestershire’s first professional disabled-led theatre company. Nickie is currently Resident Assistant Director at Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre.
Caroline Parker
Caroline Parker biography
Most recent with House of Krip/Fittings Multi Media Arts for the Vogue Ball 2017 in Liverpool. Previously played Antonia in Birds of Paradise production ‘Miranda and Caliban – The Making of a Monster’ which took place in Hong Kong and Glasgow simultaneously. TV appearances include Doctors BBC, Murphy’s Law BBC, Stuart a Life Backwards BBC/HBO, Switch BBC. With such companies as Krazy Kat Theatre, Hot Coals Theatre and The Bone Ensemble Caroline has also consulted/directed tweaking their visual creations. Finding and evolving the funny, and clear physical storytelling.
Caroline also does the stand up comedy circuit, is a member of Abnormally Funny People. In the cabaret circuit Caroline performs in her unique style signed songs, she recently gave a TEDx talk on ‘Singing Without Her Voice’. At the 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony she signed the closing number ‘I am What I Am’ alongside Beverly Knight. In 2015 Caroline won three best Actress awards for her role Mabel Morgan in BSLBT Zone film ‘If I Don’t Lose, I’ll Lose’ at the Cenedeaf III Rome film festival, Clin d’Oeil and Cannes Disability Film Festival 2016.
Kinny Gardner
Kinny Gardner biography
Kinny is from Leith, is Hard of Hearing and is 58 years old. Studied Classical Ballet and at The Martha Graham School with Martha Graham herself. West End credits: ‘Godspell’, ‘The Rocky Horror Show’, ‘The Mousetrap’ and ‘ Chicago’. Rep. and tours include: ‘The Pirates of Penzance’, ‘Marat/Sade’, ‘The Threepenny Opera’, ‘Assassins’ and ‘Cabaret’. Kinny is a principle guest solo artist with The Lindsay Kemp Company with whom he has toured the world in ‘Flowers’, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘The Big Parade’, ‘Cinderella’, ‘Variete’ and ‘The Last Dance of Elizabeth the First’. He retains the honour of being the only person permitted to re-create a Kemp company work outside of Lindsay Kemp’s own, re-staging ‘Variete’ for Youth Music Theatre U.K. He is Artistic Director of Krazy Kat Theatre Company and a Development Adviser to BBC Cbeebies.
Awards: BBC Community Hero Award, British Citizens Award, British Empire Medal for services to Theatre and Disability (Queen’s Birthday Honours List).
Amelia Cavallo
Amelia Cavallo biography
Amelia Cavallo is a blind performer from the USA with experience in acting, singing, dancing, aerial circus and burlesque. She is also a multi-instrumentalist, musical director and composer. Recent stage performances include Tommy (Ramps On The Moon) Into The Woods (Royal Exchange Manchester) A Winter’s Tale (Taking Flight Theatre), Beauty and The Beast (Theatre Royal Stratford) and The Threepenny Opera (Graeae Theatre Company) She has also composed, MDed and performed in original works called Sailing Through The Dark (Liberty Festival) and I Breathe (Flying Diplodocus). She also works as a freelance MD and composer for PAD Productions, Extant Theatre and with her band, Sunshine Savage. Amelia was a sway pole performer in the London 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony, and also performed at the cultural Olympiad in Rio with Graeae Theatre’s production of The Garden in September, 2016. When not on stage, behind a musical instrument or dangling from a height, Amelia can be found working towards her Phd in disability politics and theatrical performance at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.