DaDa is proud to announce the launch of DDFI Extra, a new winter arts programme running throughout Disability History Month 2025and into the New Year.
Continuing the organisation’s 40th birthday celebrations and building on the success of the UK’s longest-running disability arts festival, DaDaFest International, DDFI Extra will bring together artist development, creativity, and accessible participation for an international programme.
Developed in partnership with Potters Gallery in Nigeria, DDFI Extra will feature a multidisciplinary programme of events and artist residencies, connecting artists and audiences in the UK, Nigeria, Tanzania, supported by British Council Culture Connects Programme.
Designed particularly but not exclusively to encourage participation foryoung disabled and non-disabled people aged 18–35, the festival will explore themes of social justice and inclusion through workshops, film, poetry, and digital galleries.
Rushton Residency UK
The Rushton Residency will form a central part of DDFI Extra, supporting Deaf Liverpool author Natalie Denny to explore themes of disability history and culture, reflecting on the legacy of disabled poet and social justice activist Edward Rushton to create new work.
Throughout Natalie’s UK-based residency, writers' workshops will be offered free to disabled writers both in person at Everyman Theatre Liverpool, and online. These will run throughout Disability History Month and into the new year.
Lillian Munuo of ‘Beyond The Label’, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, will also be supported byDaDa through a Rushton Residency, connecting Lillian with Natalie and artists from Nigeria to exchange ideas and experience.
Lilian Munuois a multidisciplinary visual artist, disability rights advocate. Lillian’s residency will focus on storytelling through mixed media and bring the lived experiences of Tanzanians with disabilities into this global conversation on social justice through art.
Rushton Residencies Nigeria
Further international residencies will form part of the programme, developed in partnership between DaDa (Liverpool UK) and Potters Gallery, (Abuja, Nigeria). These international residencies will support artists from Sub-Saharan Africa to create new work, alongside the UK’s Rushton Residency.
Art forms will include: Dance, Spoken Word, Documentary Film, Creative and Critical writing and mixed media visual arts and storytelling.
The residencies will explore how social justice creates social inclusion and how access benefits not only for disabled people, but the wider cultural sector in all three countries.
The work created will be shared via an online gallery which can be accessed internationally through DaDa’s website during the programme.
Film Premiere ‘Hand Ships Sail’, Behind the Scenes
‘Hand Ships Sail’ is a poetic conversation in British Sign Language (BSL) – the vital, visual and versatile language of British deaf communities. Two deaf women share their dreams for the future as they look out over the night sky.
The work was created by Cathy Mager, a Deaf and Bristol-based artist and curator, founder and director of Spectroscope, specialising in immersive and monumental art installations.‘Hand Ships Sail’ helped launch DaDaFest International 40 earlier this year with a special projection on the Cunard Buildings in Liverpool, and the film of this presentation will be shared online during DDFIExtra.
Andrew Bolton Street Art Lecture Online
Andrew Bolton (Community Murals CIC) is a disabled professional artist with many years' experience of working alongside communities to create painted, mosaic, or printed murals.Bolton also has a personal art practice which often refers to his lived experience of disability.
He is an active member of Disability Arts Cymru and has been developing an artistic relationship with Jogja Disability Arts, Indonesia.
An online presentation of community engagement and visibility for disabled and refugee artists by Andrew will be available during DDFIExtra.
New Poetry Shared by Jennifer Lee Tsai
Award winning poet Jennifer Lee Tsai, has been commissioned to create new work as part of DDFIExtra. This poem will be captured on film and presented online as part of the DDFIExtra Winter Programme.
“DDFI Extra is about keeping creative momentum alive between our bi-annual festivals and strengthening our international collaborations,” said Rachel Rogers, DaDa Executive Producer. “It’s an opportunity to spotlight new voices, connect communities, and celebrate disability culture across borders.
We are extremely grateful to British Council for supporting this programme and excited to share work from our amazing artist community.”
DDFI Extra is supported by British Council funding, helping to deepen international artistic exchange, and by Arts Council England, through DaDa’s status as a National Portfolio Organisationand Liverpool City Council through their Cultural Arts Investment Programme.