NATIONAL charity Leonard Cheshire Disability is asking disabled people and their families to nominate truly outstanding work from any aspects of the arts, including film, television or radio, which has been produced by, or presents issues facing disabled people.
The nominations will be considered for The People’s Choice Award in this year’s Ability Media International Awards.
The awards, in their third year, recognise and celebrate artistic excellence that promotes a more inclusive world.
he introduction of The People’s Choice Award will enable people across the UK to reward the work they feel deserves recognition.
To qualify, nominated pieces need to be creatively excellent and either have been produced by disabled people or promote greater understanding of disability issues.
Works must have been produced, printed, published, televised or created between 10 August 2010 and 10 August 2011.
The winner, to be announced at an awards event later this year, will be the one that receives the most public nominations.
The awards event will also see winners announced in a number of other categories covering corporate communications, the printed word, the arts, and radio and television.
The winners will be decided upon by the Ability Media Creative Board, consisting of pre-eminent figures from across the media and the arts.
Wayne Drew, chairman of the Ability Media Creative Board, said: “The media and arts can play an important role in altering people’s attitudes towards disability, and the Ability Media International Awards exist to celebrate artistically excellent work from virtually every field of the arts and media.
“If you care about the arts and have read, seen or heard something that was outstanding and was either created by disabled people or that you feel positively challenged society’s perceptions of disabled people and the issues they face, we want to hear from you.
“Your views will ensure that we celebrate a work, through The People’s Choice Award, that has had real impact.”
Jane Jutsum, director of strategic partnerships and innovative services at Leonard Cheshire Disability, said: “We believe that disabled people working in the creative industries can lead to a major positive attitude change among colleagues and the general public.
“That’s why we run the Ability Media International Awards and the Ability Media Centre – a college based in Southwark training disabled people to become creative forces.
“Previous award winners have already become role models for our disabled students as we help mould and unleash their talent in film, radio and animation.”
The deadline for nominations is Monday 15 August 2011.
www.amiwards.org
www.LCDisability.org
