BBC hosts Reframing Disability

Held on LinkedIn LIVE at 1400-1800 GMT on 19 November 2020

Celebrating a disability rights landmark

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the UK's Disability Discrimination Act, the BBC’s Creative Diversity team hosted a series of high-level conversations on LinkedIn Live. In conjunction with Valuable 500 and the Disabled Artists Networking Community (DANC), the aim of the event was to inspire audiences to return to their communities, institutions and organisations with the tools they need to create inclusive change. 

Timed to coincide with the BBC’s inclusion month and disability season, Reframing Disability was a celebration of disabled talent within the creative industry and beyond. The event featured inclusive thought leaders from the world of: business, entertainment, philanthropy and media focused on disability representation as the route to ensuring that no one is left behind as we strike towards greater inclusion.

Each session was headlined by leading disabled actors, writers, producers, presenters and directors to explore whether there are any lessons the media industry could learn from them. Guests were given the opportunity to learn about successful models and how they might be replicated. The sessions were produced by Reporter, Sean Dilley and Reporter and Senior Producer, Paul Carter from BBC News.

Audience Takeaway

Reframing Disability follows the BBC’s two-day virtual event CDX in July, which showcased the vibrancy, innovation and leadership of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic talent in the creative industry, and aims to do the same focussed on the representation of disability.

The event leveraged the convening power of the BBC to bring together leading creatives and their stories with the view to generate a pan-industry, solutions focussed conversation.

June Sarpong, BBC’s Director of Creative Diversity said: “I am proud of the ongoing work by the BBC to reframe the portrayal and representation of disability on and off screen, but there is still much more work to be done and it will continue to be a major focus for us.

“Our Reframing Disability event will provide a space for honest and open dialogue led by those already changing our industry, and will directly inform the work we will be doing on and off-air from April 2021 as part of Creative Diversity Commitment.”