Dispatch Arts Project

The Dispatch Arts Project is an arts and culture development project of the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities and is sponsored by the National Lotteries Commission. The project’s aim is to facilitate the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in all aspects of community life in South Africa.

It is a platform through which rural artists with disabilities can showcase their talents and handicrafts and make a decent living in the process. Arts and crafts play an important part in rural economies. It is often the only entry point into the economy for poorly skilled persons with limited access to training and education. The project aims to allow artists with disabilities the same sort of opportunities that artists without disabilities have access to.

The strategy considers the arts, culture and heritage sector as the “new gold” which has the potential to increase economic growth and create jobs in South Africa.

We want to further the artistic expression of persons with disabilities, as we view disability as a natural and valuable variation of the human form. We believe affirmative disability identity is intertwined with racial, gender, social, and economic justice.

The Dispatch Arts Project plans to accomplish this by supporting the creative expression of people with disabilities. We utilize the performing arts as a method of examining disability in relation to society. We also support established and emerging artists, as well as the community at large, in developing knowledge and expression of disability culture and pride.