FAQ

 
The following is a list of frequently asked questions about the UPSTART initiative. If you would like any further information, contact Damien O’Connor , disability Arts coordinator, Mayo County council, doconnor@mayococo.ie
 

What are the aims of the UPSTART programme?

 
Mayo County Council’s UPSTART programme aims to:
 

• Incentivise quality artistic collaborations between groups/ people with disabilities, artists, arts venues and organisations within County Mayo.
• Support opportunities for people with disabilities to develop arts projects in celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities, 3rd December.

Who can apply?
 

• Venues that have participated in Mayo County council’s Arts and Disability Programme. (Disability Equality Training, 2009, access audits, 2010.)
• Artists that participated in our Disability Equality Training session, 2009.
• Professional artists with disabilities.
• Groups of people with disabilities interested in working with a particular artist and/or venue to develop a project. (The professional artist’s C.V would need to show evidence of experience of working with people with disabilities.)

 
What can an UPSTART award be used for?
 

• Projects that focus on creative work by people with disabilities.
• Projects that are additional to a groups’ or organisations’ regular programme of work.
• Projects that involve the development of new work in a new art-form.
• Projects that engage people with disabilities as artists, participants or audience members.
• An event to celebrate arts and disability.
• A workshop or a series of workshops in the lead up to December 3rd with a local group of people with disabilities. (This should be facilitated by a professional artist with experience of working with people with disabilities.)
• A performance for an invited audience of a work in progress/ event (film, theatre, dance, music, choral or other event) by a group of people with disabilities, which has come about through collaboration with a professional artist/ artists.
• A main stream performance that will be made accessible for an audience of people with disabilities. (i.e. audio described/ sign language interpreted/ text captioned etc)
• A performance/exhibition by professional artist(s) with disabilities, or a group of people with disabilities who have produced work with a professional artist.
• A closed event for a specific group of people with disabilities.

 
What can an UPSTART award not be used for?
 

• Projects that have already taken place.
• Projects that opperate in contexts outside the arts
• Projects developed as tools for Advocacy, occupational or therapy.
• Projects developed as tools for well being or life skills development.
• Projects which are primarily based in health-care contexts and are focused on health gain.
• Projects that are part of a regular programme of work.
• Projects which take place outside the county.

 
How will an application be assessed?
 
Applications will be assessed by an external pannel with experience in the areas of disability and the arts and the following criteria will be used:

• Artistic Quality of the proposed activity/event.
• Track record of the applicant.
• The benefit of the support to applicant.
• The extent to which People with Disabilities are involved in the planning/development of the project/event.
• Matching resources.

 
Will an UPSTART award cover the total costs of a project?
 
No, the programme aims to maximise the resources for artistic engagement by people with disabilities. Therefore, matched funding/resources or in-kind resources are essential and form part of the assessment criteria.
 
In what format should an application be submitted?
 
All aplications should be submitted as MS Word documents via email and contain A fully completed application form and all supporting documentation. E.G. details of artist(s) involved and their C.V’s.
 
Where can I get more information?
 
For further information on Mayo County council’s UPSTART programme, contact Damien O’Connor, disability Arts coordinator at Mayo County council arts office, Aras an Chontae, The Mall, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, T: 094 904 7551 E: doconnor@mayococo.ie