It should, perhaps, come as no surprise to discover that disability arts face the same challenges as all other arts: funds, time, spaces where to work and perform, human resources, audiences, sustainability.

This is another example of how there is so much more that unites us to that which differentiates us from one another.

Opening Doors performances star adults with diverse intellectual abilities but who have a common passion – creativity. Photos: Jeremy de Maria

This is clearly the approach that Sandra Mifsud adopts in her work on a daily basis.

“The arts are important to everyone of any age, sex, colour or creed,” she said. “They form part of our expression as human beings, they stimulate us creatively and everyone has a right to access them.”

This is one of the main aims behind the organisation she works for as artistic director, Opening Doors, which strives to ensure that this takes place as much as possible, within the limitations and capabilities of the organisation.

Founded by drama therapist Lou Ghirlando, the association already had an established theatre group that had been running for six years when Mifsud was approached in 2013. After a successful dance pilot project, the organisation  wanted to formally set up a dance group and Mifsud joined them as director of the group.  She happily took on the challenge.

“I was nervous and excited as I was relatively new to this field though I had some previous experience supporting a project which was led by a Welsh community dance agency called Tan Dance at St Margaret College in Vittoriosa.”

She was clearly ready to plunge right into it. Together with the dance, music and drama tutors, her role nowadays is to direct the organisation artistically while at the same time extending their services to a wider audience. The participants are adults with diverse intellectual abilities that have a passion for creativity.

“As an organisation we hope to make it easier and more desirable for adults with diverse intellectual abilities to access the arts – both as performers as well as audience members,” she said.

We hope to make it easier and more desirable for adults with diverse intellectual abilities to access the arts – both as performers as well as audience members

“Through the events we organise, we offer a platform for our active members to showcase their skills and improve their abilities as performers.”

Her hope is that this will one day soon extend to artists with disabilities acting as directors and choreographers themselves.

So far, Opening Doors has been communicating with its audience mainly through performance works created through the guidance and expertise of artists they collaborate with. Further to an event held last year in celebration of World Disability Day, which falls on December 3, they decided to go for a more diverse exposition of works which would also include pieces by other local and international artists, using the media of film, photographic installations and debates.

And thus, the This Is Ability Art Platform was born, a symposium which brings to the public film and photography exhibitions, live performances and seminars. Mifsud believes that the event will appeal to anyone curious about the creative contribution disabled artists have to offer the arts, the relevance of disability arts today, as well as what creative processes artists and directors adopt in this sector.

The symposium will also inform those working or wishing to work within the disability arena, as well as families of persons with disabilities, or anyone wanting to join a creative arts group.

“Opening Doors hopes to inspire our audiences to attend these events and realise the contribution that artists with disability have to offer. Our events will attract new audiences towards the arts in general and towards Malta’s creative spaces, by instilling curiosity and presenting a new aesthetic and a more real representation of our society through the arts.”

Sandra Mifsud. Photo: Amanda Hsu

Mifsud remarks that there is still much that needs to be accomplished, foremost of which is a shift in mentality away from a pitying gaze to a willingness to observe, absorb and be moved by what is being presented.

“The challenge of artists leading groups of artists with disability is to present work that is interesting and inspiring, intelligent and sensitive in terms of composition and concepts. It should also be work that is appreciated and consented to by the performers themselves – the work must be owned by the performers for it to work well.”

The benefits are many and spread out across the field, be it for the artists themselves, collaborators, participants, parents, guardians or carers who may discover new potential of those persons within their care.

“Carers and social workers have been known to use creative means to achieve their aims within their work remit too. Managers of the creative spaces we work within are encouraged to engage with disability more directly. Hopefully this enables service providers at such venues to be more aware, open, embracing, understanding and versatile with respect to disabled patrons and staff.”

Ultimately, for Mifsud, such projects contribute towards accumulated knowledge on a national level within this field.

This Is Ability Arts Platform will run at St James Cavalier in Valletta from tomorrow to December 11 as part of Spazju Kreattiv’s season programme. The Opening Doors Association is supported by Arts Council Malta through a cultural partnership agreement and a five-year collaboration agreement with Fondazzjoni Kreattività. The organisation is also funded by the Premju tal-President managed by the Office of the President, Arts Council Malta and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ and is supported by the Manoel Theatre, Alison White Dance Studio and The Box – A Creative Arts Space.

To book a place for the symposium, send an e-mail to openingdoors@gmail.com. The full programme is available on the organisation’s Facebook page. All activities are fully accessible to wheelchair users via the entrance at the main reception (the Parliament side of the building) and most events are free.