To coincide with Disability History Month 2025 (20th November to 20th December), Mat Fraser is supporting disabled-led charitable arts organisation, Disability Arts Online (DAO) and its new project “Cripping Culture: A Journey into Disability Arts Heritage”.
Mat Fraser on bringing disability arts heritage to light
A familiar face from our TV screens, Mat has appeared in shows including American Horror Story, His Dark Materials, and Gangs of London. He says disability arts is the essence of all the work that he creates, and he has been a part of professional projects of disability arts through theatre, music, performance art, exhibitive art, radio, TV, and film.
The Cripping Culture project, which recently received £249,607 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, will collect memories from people involved in the Disability Arts movement, capturing previously untold stories and shedding new light on key moments in its history from across the UK. It will research and reveal the achievements of the disabled artists and activists who put disability rights on the map, from the late 1970s onwards.
The project will include a call outs for artists, activists and audiences across the UK to share their written and multimedia testimonies. Mat is encouraging anyone who has a connection to the Disability Arts movement and would like to share their story for the project to register their interest.
Speaking about the need for the Cripping Culture project to capture stories from the Disability Arts movement, Mat said:
“These days I’m a writer and occasional jobbing actor that pops up here and there on TV, but I’m actually a multidisciplinary performing Disability Artist, who became a performer and a writer because of my disability politics, which started in the early 90s and continues to this day and beyond.
“I’ve witnessed the development of disabled voices and culture through Disability Arts, and truly believe that this cultural phenomenon deserves to be archived in as detailed a way as possible, to inform the arts, culture and society at large as to the vital role played by the arts in understanding Disability for a healthy society.
“‘Cripping Culture: A Journey Through Disability Arts Heritage’ is a vital project for the preservation of our history and understanding of Disability through artistic frames.”
Cripping Culture: building an accessible digital archive
Stories uncovered during the project will be shared through an accessible digital archive and interactive digital timeline so that members of the public can engage with the heritage of the Disability Arts movement. Spoken contributions will also be used to create a podcast series with transcripts and British Sign Language (BSL) video versions available for every episode.
This project will be led by Colin Hambrook, who founded Disability Arts Online more than 20 years ago and is now undertaking the new role of Heritage Project Director of Cripping Culture.
Colin Hambrook commented:
“We are very grateful to Mat for offering his support of Cripping Culture and sharing his own experiences being part of the Disability Arts movement. We hope artists, activists and audiences with their own memories of the movement will also become part of the project.
“We are in imminent danger of losing our heritage as activists central to the movement are ageing and many elders have already died. Their memories, stories, and interpretations of artworks make a critical contribution to society and disabled people. There’s an urgent need for Cripping Culture to digitally preserve this heritage and present it through the prism of lived experience in accessible and inclusive forms.
“My hope is that the project adds significant material as a statement of record of the Disability Arts movement we can hand down to younger generations of disabled people.”
Trish Wheatley, Chief Executive of Disability Arts Online, said:
“My favourite part of the project is that we’ll be seeking out contributions from people across the country to show how widespread this movement has been and still is today. Our accessible digital archive, interactive timeline and podcast will add to a rich tapestry of resources and bring this unique heritage to life for everyone.”
DAO will work in partnership with the National Disability Arts Collection and Archive (NDACA) so that the project builds on the historical significance of this first national archive of Disability Arts.
Cripping Culture’s new digital archive and timeline will be designed and built by Surface Impression which has worked with DAO on digital projects for 17 years. As the leading digital agency specialising in heritage and access, they are the perfect partner for this project.
Dennis Queen, Co-chair of Disability Arts Online’s Board of Trustees said:
“We are grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for supporting DAO to undertake this landmark project ensuring the heritage of the Disability Arts movement is preserved for future generations.
“The stories and testimonies gathered through Cripping Culture will help to build a more widespread and nuanced understanding of the disabled experience. Cripping Culture’s digital archive, which can be accessed from anywhere in the world, will be invaluable for disabled and non-disabled people alike.”
Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
“We’re proud to support Disability Arts Online in preserving the powerful stories of the Disability Arts movement. Thanks to National Lottery players, these vital stories from the past will be safeguarded for future generations to learn from.”
If you have a connection to the Disability Arts movement and would like to share your story, please register your interest at disabilityarts.online/cripping-culture.