1993 to 1999 - A multi award winning national arts and disability centre based in Dublin working on an International scale providing innovative services and projects. The first ever national Arts and Disability Centre in Ireland, founded by Dave Thomas and Declan O'Sullivan in 1993. A = Awareness: Awareness of the ability of people with disability. Awareness of the value of the arts to society. P
= Publishing: To achieve the above, we developed a unique magazine called 'The Bridge'. This became the first ever arts magazine for people with disability in the Republic of Ireland. The magazine encouraged everyone to be creative, and gave a platform for work to be published. I = Information: Lack of co-ordinated relevant information for the arts and people with disability in 1992 in Ireland. It was difficult to access the right information as it was scattered across different organisations around the country. APIC planned to create a one-stop=shop, gathering all relevant information in one location, in formats easily understood and accessible to all. C = Communications. We planned on utilizing the Internet, Radio, Television, Print media, to communicate the message that people with disability can have the ability to explore and participate in the broad spectrum of the arts, just like anyone else, when obstacles were removed. Obstacles that sometimes only existed for people with disability in ireland. Obstacles can be financial, physical access to venues, people's understanding and misconception of what 'disability' means. And sometimes the obstacle can be the very person themselves, believing that they cannot, and should not, even attempt to explore working in the arts after years of hearing that 'belief' from members of society. And there you have APIC. A short name, but it means a lot! Founded in 1993 by Dave Thomas and Declan O'Sullivan, the APIC Centre was the first ever Irish National Arts & Disability Centre in Ireland. It achieved many firsts -
First ever Arts and Disability Magazine 'The Bridge'
First ever arts and disability radio series 'Different Voices'
First ever Sexuality and Disability Conference in Ireland
First ever award winning services that directly removed all barriers to enable people with disability experience, study, explore the arts. First ever arts and disability exhibitions across the island of Ireland. Created first ever arts exhibitions where all art work was labeled in Braille
Worked with galleries and centres where art was created and displayed to become fully accessible to all (physical environment, information in alternative formats, trained staff in disability awareness)
The APIC Centre was ahead of its time. Many of its achievements are now taken for granted, and accepted as the 'norm'. In 1993, APIC fought against the perception that art for people with disability was for rehab purposes only. Arts Centres were often inaccessible to people with disability, yet funded by the TAX Payer via the Arts Council of Ireland - this was challenged by APIC, with strong resistance to change from the Arts Council and Government. Among many of its achievements, APIC was responsible for the Arts Council of Ireland employing an Arts and Disability Officer, and allocating funding directly for Arts and Disability projects. The organisation was also responsible for having exhibitions funded by the Arts Council to provide information in alternative formats, make their exhibition spaces accessible and have art work signage displayed in Braille. The first time this was done was at an APIC workshop and exhibition in partnership with the Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin.
