You probably recognize Picasso, Traci Chapman, Frida Kahlo, David Hockney, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, and Vincent Van Gogh as some of the greatest artists of all time. But what you might not know is that they all had something else in common: they created their iconic works while living with disabilities.
Although one in four American adults has a disability, representation in the performing arts is still minimal. At least 95% of characters with disabilities are played today by able-bodied actors. But Arizona Theatre Matters is working to change that. Since its founding in 2012, Arizona Theatre Matters has been featuring artists with disabilities in all of its shows.
This season, they're taking it to the next level by featuring a team of BIPOC Deaf sign language artists on screen and voice actors, with high LGBTQI+ representation, many of whom are elders and many with disabilities. And they're doing it all on their YouTube Channel, for free, and captioned in 82+ languages, making it as close to universally accessible as possible.
Arizona Theatre Matters, based in Glendale Arizona, is leading the way in promoting universal
representation in the performing arts. By featuring artists with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ artists, and artists from the Deaf community in their shows and making their content free to all, they are helping to create a more inclusive and equitable field.
Whether you're an industry insider or an arts enthusiast, you can support Arizona Theatre Matters in its mission to create a more representative performing arts landscape.
Visit arizonatheatrematters.org to learn more.
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