The ROAR Festival was founded in 2016 to celebrate the creative talent of disabled young people and to make noise about the need for better inclusion and access in the arts in Oxfordshire. Every year up to 500 children, young people and families have attended a wide range of workshops and performances from nationally renowned disabled artists, companies and performers including; BLINK, Anjali, Shadowlights, Diverse City, Lost Voice Guy and DADAfest.
The Festival was the catalyst for a brand new partnership driven movement for inclusion in the arts for disabled people. Partners from a range of disability and arts organisations have come together to create positive change; creating more opportunities for disabled young people to make and shape culture in Oxfordshire and beyond.
ROAR Partners include; Oxford Playhouse, Modern Art Oxford, Film Oxford, Pegasus Theatre, Autism Family Support, Yellow Submarine, KEEN, Oxfordshire County Council, TORCH Oxford University, Gardens Libraries and Museums (GLAM), Arts at the Old Fire Station and The Northwall Arts Centre.
For more information, please contact jo@ark-t.org
The ROAR Festival is funded by TORCH | The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities.
“Roar is for disabled people to be heard and let you know how we feel, so people don’t jump to conclusions about people with disabilities. People focus on ability not disability.” (Minty Hoyer-Millar, Roar Project Assistant)