Cultivate

Independent Disability Advisors (x9)

Independent Disability Advisory Chair (x1)

Advisors earn £150 per day worked in addition to agreed expenses and reasonable adjustment costs

Chair earns £175 per day worked in addition to agreed expenses and reasonable adjustment costs

Contract: Fixed term contract for services, 5 days per year

Introduction

Arts Council England works to get great art to everyone by championing, developing and investing in artists and artistic experiences that enrich people's lives.

As the national development agency for the arts, we support a range of artistic activities from theatre to music, literature to dance, photography to digital art and carnival to crafts.

Great art inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better.

Between 2008 and 2011 we will invest in excess of £1.6 billion of public money from the government and the National Lottery to create these experiences for as many people as possible across the country.

Arts that reflect the diversity of contemporary England is crucial to our work. We recognise that disabled people are part of that diversity and that promoting disability equality is an important part of the role we have to play in supporting the arts to be the best and most inclusive.

Over the next few months we will be reviewing our current disability equality scheme and want to appoint an independent disability equality advisory group to support this work and help us arrive at a new disability equality scheme.

We are looking to appoint 10 (9 members and 1 Chair) creative, passionate disabled people, with knowledge and experience of promoting disability equality alongside a familiarity and understanding of disability equality issues within the arts.

Time commitment will be approximately 5 days over the period of a year.

An induction into this role will be provided and all reasonable adjustments and access costs will be met. A daily fee for advisors will also apply.

Closing Date: 12 pm Thursday 28^th May 2009

For an application pack or more information please contact Sophie Larsmon, Diversity Team Administrator on: sophie.larsmon@artscouncil.org.uk

020 7973 5319

Arts Council England

14 Great Peter Street

London SW1P 3NQ

Principal purpose of the role:

The Disability Equality Duty

From December 2006 Arts Council England has been legally required to have a Disability Equality Scheme and ensure that disability equality is embedded within our policies, practices and processes.

We have produced a disability equality scheme and have been working towards achieving its aims, however, it now needs revising to ensure that we can maximise the progress we are making in disability equality.

Under Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA)'s general duty, the Arts Council must have ‘due regard' to:

• promote equality of opportunity for disabled people
• eliminate discrimination of disabled people that is unlawful under the Act
• eliminate harassment of disabled people
• promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
• encourage participation by disabled people in public life
• take into account the requirements of disabled people even if that means treating disabled people more favourably

Specific Duties:

• publish a Disability Equality Scheme (including within it an Action Plan)
• involve disabled people in producing the Scheme and Action Plan
• demonstrate they have taken actions in the Scheme and achieved appropriate outcomes
• report on progress
• review and revise the scheme every three years

The Independent Disability Equality Advisory Group

Arts Council England is committed to promoting disability equality in the arts.

In order to fully support this aim, we want to improve our performance on disability equality. The first step is to ensure that disabled people are involved in the process of reviewing and revising our scheme. We also want the IDEAG to make a difference and have an impact on the work that we undertake.

Reporting

The IDEAG will be recognised by Arts Council England's Board as a key stake holder and will inform the six monthly progress reports to the Management Committee on the development and implementation of the Disability Equality Scheme. Whilst the reports will be owned by the Art Council's Director of Diversity, the IDEAG will have independence over its summary.   

Role description

Individuals selected to be on Arts Council England's IDEAG will be required to use their knowledge, skills and expertise of disability equality issues to help us review and revise our Disability Equality Scheme [DES].

Independent Disability Equality Group Duties [Members]:

• To attend regular meetings of the IDEAG
• To work constructively both as a team member and independently
• To act as a critical friend to Arts Council England in relation to our disability equality work
• Assist in identifying the barriers experienced by disabled people in accessing and participating in the arts
• To assist in reviewing and revising Arts Council England's DES
• To identify projects, actions and opportunities which will assist in improving Arts Council England's performance in disability equality
• To assist in developing the terms of reference for the group
• To read reports and key documents relating to Arts Council England's disability equality scheme and the IDEAG

In addition to the above, the Chair will be required to undertake the following:

• Provide leadership of the IDEAG
• Facilitate/Chair the group's meetings
• Work with the Senior Strategy Officer Diversity (Disability) to influence the implementation of the group's recommendations.
• Represent the group at meetings within Arts Council England

Conflicts of Interest

Individuals appointed to the IDEAG will bring their own skills, knowledge and expertise to the group. Individuals appointed to the IDEAG who work for a regularly funded client of Arts Council England must declare this as a conflict of interest.

Individuals who are employees of organisations will not be representing their organisation.

Arts Council England Regional and National Council members will not be eligible to apply to become a member of the IDEAG.

Reasonable adjustments

All meetings will take place in an inclusive environment and all reasonable adjustments will be met.

Time Commitment

The time commitment for IDEAG members will be between 5 and 7 days per year.

For the Chair this will be between 7 and 9 days per year.

Selection Process

All applications should be made on the application form provided; we are unable to accept CVs.

Each application will be assessed against the person specification - applicants must show evidence of their skills knowledge and expertise. 

Those meeting the person specification will be invited to interview.

In addition to the above, all applicants will be asked to deliver a presentation of no more than 10 minutes on why it is important to promote disability equality in the arts.

The interview panel will consist of the Director, Diversity Strategy; the Senior Strategy Officer Diversity (Disability); a regional Head of Development; and an external disabled person.

Remittance

Members will be paid £150 per day worked in addition to agreed expenses and reasonable adjustment costs.

The Chair will be paid £175 per day worked plus reasonable adjustment costs.