Who writes for DAO?
Trish Wheatley, DAO's Director, occasionally gets the opportunity to step out of the administrative and managerial role to attend arts events so you will see some reviews, interviews and discussion pieces by her. She is also co-producer for 'Creating the Spectacle!' a Cultural Olympiad commission by Sue Austin. Trish is blogging about the development of this commission throughout 2012 at http://www.disabilityartsonline.org/Trish-Wheatley
DAO is edited by Colin Hambrook. He is a disabled artist, with a substantial background in media and publishing, who set the site up initially in 2002. He has striven towards a vision for the site as a place dedicated to work by deaf and disabled artists, which reflects on disability as a social and political construct. You can follow him on his editorial blog at http://www.disabilityartsonline.org.uk/colins_blog
Marian Cleary has written for Culture24, Pink Paper and a variety of B2B publications in her capacity as freelance journalist. As well as providing journalistic editorial support, she assists writers, academics and organisations through transcription, proof-reading and note-taking services in the preparation of articles, books and research papers through her company Sound Words.
Paul F Cockburn is an Edinburgh-based freelance journalist & copywriter who specialises in disability issues, arts & culture, and military resettlement. Formerly chief writer on Able magazine, his work continues to appear in the publication, as well as a growing range of national and specialist publications including Disability, PinkPaper.com and Scottish Review. You can find out more about him at www.paulfcockburn.com
Richard Downes has aspired to write since a very early age when he found out that his grandad stored his words to act as memoirs whilst he was away at special school. He says: "There was a time when I would share my work with friends but it became more and more a private thing. Community Magazines and organisational newsletters, where my outsource for a while. It felt useful to have something to say to others but nothing much happened. Then a chance to join DAO arrived by email and its been a source of preview, review, interview and blog since." His other blogs are www.detrich.wordpress.com and www.weallshotpudseybear.detrich.com
Susan Bennett has been writing reviews for DAO since 2009. She has a keen interest in Disability Arts and has worked alongside disabled people in her work as a performance management specialist, trainer and a facilitator to local authorities, charities and community groups. In March 2012 she had a cochlear implant and is now rediscovering the world of sound.
In the last two years DAO has been developing the blogging area of the journal to give space for disabled artists / writers to write about artistic development and processes. Producers from disability arts organisations also write for DAO to let our audience know about work they are engaged in or which is in development.
In fact we welcome anyone who is passionate about disability arts. If you would like to write about the arts for DAO - as a reviewer, commentator or blogger please email Colin via editor@disabilityartsonline.org.uk