We are excited to launch the ‘Power Not Pity Podcast’ as part of DaDaFest International 40, opening conversations about disability, arts and culture.
You will hear from artists, cultural organisations and disabled activists who will be voicing rage, building the quiet riot our festival theme alludes to.
The podcasts will bring some of our more visual exhibitions to life for those who can’t experience them in person or visually, alongside interesting conversations that will offer background around the events and venues where they will be housed, exploring disability arts, how far it has come, and what there is yet to do to create true equity in the cultural landscape.
Denise Kennedy interviews disabled artists at the Edinburgh Fringe festival, exploring how they integrate access into their performances and sharing insights into their experiences.
16 Sept 2025
Episode 7: Power Not Pity - DaDa Makes Music at Liverpool Philharmonic
Tom Walker interviews musicians, organizers, and facilitators involved in the DaDa and Liverpool Philharmonic's composition project, highlighting disability art and culture.
30 Jul 2025
Episode 6: Power Not Pity Podcast - Deep End at The Bluecoat
Podcast host Tom Walker interviews Denise Kennedy, Denise Armstrong, Shaun Fallows, Adrian Watts, Rachel McMahon, and Tom Rooney as they explore Amy Claire Mills's 'Deep End' installation at The Bluecoat, focusing on accessibility and sensory experiences for disabled artists.
26 Mar 2025
Episode 5: Power Not Pity with Painting In Light at the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum
In this episode, Tom Walker meets with artist and DaDa CEO Zoe Partington at The Williamson Art Gallery in the Wirral where one of her Neon Sculptures are on display as part of DaDaFest International 40.
Zoe shares how the disability slogans that inspire her ‘Painting in Light’ series were brought about by disabled activists who have tirelessly campaigned over the 40 years of DaDa’s existence.
Williamson Art Gallery manager Sam Howes reflects on how the contemporary sculpture will hopefully create conversation blending with the more traditional art it sits with in the space, and shares excitement that the Williamson will be celebrating their 100th birthday in the next few years.
Tom also has a conversation with veteran disability rights campaigner Barbara Lisicki who explains the social model of disability and what is really meant by ‘accessibility’.
You can catch Zoe’s Painting in Light series around the Liverpool City Region during DaDaFest International 40 and via an online exhibition here: https://dadafestinternational.github.io/PaintingInLight/
25 Mar 2025
Episode 4: Power Not Pity at Pimp My Wheelchair
Power Not Pity visits ‘Pimp My Wheelchair’ at Sefton Park Palmhouse
In this episode, Tom Walker talks to artists Faith Bebbington and Janet Price who presented their commissioned art ‘Pimp My Wheelchair’ as part of DaDaFest International 40.
Janet explains to Tom “Pimp My Wheelchair was about brightening up prosthetics rather than them being dull and boring and as though they're things we should be apologetic about.”
And Faith shares the “initial idea came from people who kicked my stick from underneath me and I wanted to make my stick more blingy and more noticeable and more dangerous so that people notice it rather than ignoring it.”
The event was the start of a display of Faith and Janet’s sculptures being hosted by Palmhouse for the festival month, as well as online.
Tom speaks to Shaun Fallows and Grindl Dockery who took part in the Pimp my Wheelchair procession during the launch who share their views on the need for more disabled people being involved in conversations about issues that affect disabled people.
Tom asks are we doing enough or is a bit of ‘civil disobedience’ required to drive change.
Finally, Naomi McAllister Marketing and Community Manager at Sefton Park Palmhouse shares how having events like DaDaFest there helps the team continue to learn and grow the accessibility at the venue.
25 Mar 2025
Episode 3: Power Not Pity at the Rage, Riot and Revolution Launch Night
Tom Walker visits the ‘Rage, Riot an Revolution’ opening exhibition for DaDaFest International 40 at Open Eye Gallery and catches up with photographer Jan Williams of the Caravan Gallery, along with some of the women featured in her portraits.
Launching on 8th March 2025, International Women’s Day, the exhibition celebrates the achievements of female activists, artists, leaders and champions of disability activism, highlighting their essential contributions to both local and global progress.
Tom interviews one of the women featured in the exhibition, Former CEO at DaDa and founder of the first DaDaFest, Ruth Fabby. Ruth gives an overview of why DaDa was and is still needed and how it came into being 40 years ago.
Ruth highlights that while some progress has been made in improving the landscape for disabled artists, “it's not been consistent” and so there is still a way to go.
Another ‘Rage, Riot and Revolution’ subject Amina Atiq chats with Tom after performing her DaDaFest commissioned poem “Unwoven” explaining how grief and rage came together to inspire her to write.
Playwright, dramaturg and theatre-maker Kaite O'Reilly is another of the women featured in the exhibition who tells Tom “It's the absolute era for rage with what's happening in the world”. Kaite goes on to reflect on her Rushton Lecture 'The Uses of Anger'.
Tom moves on to ‘Hand Ships Sail’, a projection of a beautiful piece by Cathy Mager which was shown on the Cunard Building for DDFI40 launch night. Talking to Mick Hirst an audio describer who gives an overview of the display showing a poetic conversation in British Sign Language (BSL) –two deaf women share their dreams for the future as they look out over the night sky And Tom also catches up with Chair of DaDa Rob Martin and DaDa CEO Zoe Partington who explains “I don't think it's second nature to think about disabled artists being commissioned for everything that we do on the main stages or in the main exhibitions or the galleries. I think disabled people have to fight and really promote themselves.”
4 Mar 2025
Episode 2: Power Not Pity at The Everyman Theatre
Tom Walker talks to the Everyman young writers and producers, who have been working with curator Gill Crawshaw to begin investigating DaDa’s archive, understanding the company’s 40-year history. ‘Disability Art’ is a powerful generator of change in art, culture and heritage, but disabled people’s history is often misrepresented and excluded from society. This project provides a snapshot of the immense impact disabled artists, activists and communities have made on the arts in the UK and internationally.
19 Feb 2025
Episode 1: Power Not Pity at The Bluecoat
Tom Walker discusses the launch of DaDaFest International 40 along with DaDa’s historic relationship with The Bluecoat, talking to Bryan Biggs who leads on cultural legacies at The Bluecoat and DaDa’s Executive Producer Rachel Rogers about the significant shift in creating space for disabled artists at the venue, and the DaDa @ Bluecoat Retrospective Exhibition.
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Denise Kennedy
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