Project title
Description of initiative
The League of Wheelchair Users operates the BARKA Theatre as one of its activities supporting the independent life of people with disabilities, as a space for artistic, leisure and integration activities of people with disabilities. It is home to 6 permanently active integrated groups (blind, people with physical, mental and combined disabilities), as well as more than 40 regular amateur, semi-professional, dance and drama groups and special cultural projects. There are dozens of regular festivals of student and foreign language theatre and other artistic projects - for example, integration morning performances for school groups supporting the process of inclusion, screenings, benefit concerts, suburban integration theatre camps, etc. The FEST IN festival of integrated art presents the activities of integrated groups. This gives people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in regular artistic activities, which are often equal in quality to professional performances. Of course, this is also connected with self-development, community sharing and support, and social inclusion. BARKA Theatre is also a workplace that offers employment to people with mental and physical disabilities in associated artistic professions (stage technician, cleaning, bar/box office operation, etc.)
Themes: Culture and...
Keywords
Target group
Cultural field
Budget
Timeframe
Sources of funding
Results, benefits, impact and lessons learnt
Thanks to the barrier-free and welcoming facilities at the BARKA Theatre, six integrated artistic ensembles (semi-professional and amateur) have established themselves over the course of the theatre's existence, which currently includes approximately 80 people with disabilities and dozens more of their friends. The facilities for rehearsals and regular training have enabled them to:
- artistic development (the quality of artistic performances is increasing year by year)
- physical development (often the only possibility of movement, complementing rehabilitation - for example, for dancers with cerebral palsy, breathing rehabilitation for people with muscular atrophy, etc.)
- social development (often the only opportunity to meet - especially in the winter months, cooperation within and between groups, exchange of experiences)
- personal development (loss of shyness, gaining self-confidence, acquiring new public speaking skills, developing communication skills, etc., promoting employability)
- support for integration (enabling contact with the general public, loss of shyness in communication with people with disabilities)
- promotion of inclusion (in performances for school groups, promotion of tolerance, multicultural approach from the youngest age)