Tilting The Lens

We are excited to announce the final five talented participants selected for our 'Screen Stories: Getting Disabled Writers in the Room' programme, a collaborative initiative by Tilting the Lens and National Talent Academy for Film & TV. The selected participants have been chosen for their unique perspectives and the powerful narratives they bring to the table. Over the coming months, they will engage in an immersive experience designed to hone their skills, expand their networks, and bring their stories to life. The final five participants are: Adrian Francis: Adrian is a Deaf screenwriter and originally from Toronto, Canada. Adrian aspires to write and direct deaf-themed films of different genres, performed by deaf actors. Louise Bruton: Louise Bruton is an arts journalist, playwright, disability rights activist, DJ and author. She made her theatre debut in 2017’s Dublin Fringe Festival with a sold-out run of Why Won’t You Have Sex With Me? which she is currently developing into a dramedy television series. Mairéad Folan: Mairéad is the Artistic Director of Galway based theatre company, NoRopes. She is interested in lesser told stories, and her debut script for the stage, Luke, is a metaphor for the difficulties people with disabilities face, without mentioning the word ‘disability’ Maura Campbell: Maura is a screenwriter and author. Maura has had a number of short films and audio dramas produced and has written for BBC Ouch and BBC Radio 4. Maura has a particular interest in creating stories about people who are outsiders and is keen to contribute to better media representation of disability, including neurological diversity. Rosaleen McDonagh: Rosaleen is a member of the Human Rights Equality Commission, chair of the Irish Human Rights Disability Advisory Committee, and a writer. Rosaleen currently writes for the stage and her writing is typically from a Disabled Traveller feminism lens. The National Talent Academy for Film & TV Drama is an initiative of Screen Ireland and is managed by Ardán

Today marks the one-year countdown to the introduction of the European Accessibility Act (EAA). This is a vital piece of legislation, where no matter your location, compliance with the EAA is mandatory for any company aiming to sell, produce, or distribute goods within the EU. We are supporting our clients on their journey to being compliant (and beyond) with the EAA, and we also want to open-source these learnings to the Disabled community and our wider network. In the coming months, we will launch an educational series to support our collective preparation for this legislation to come into effect. We will be offering webinars, newsletters, and other resources to guide your path towards EAA compliance and embedding inclusive design into your practice in the short and long-term. To get us started - What is the European Accessibility Act (EAA)? The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a crucial piece of legislation that requires a wide range of products and services, including e-commerce websites and mobile apps, to be accessible to people with disabilities. This law, applicable to businesses operating within the EU, aims to harmonize accessibility standards across European countries. Providers of products and services covered by the EAA must achieve compliance by June 2025. The legislation also establishes a monitoring and complaint process, with penalties, including fines, for non-compliance. Who does It apply to? At a high level, the EAA impacts a diverse range of stakeholders, encompassing both public and private entities involved in the production, distribution, and supply of products and services ranging from computer and operating services to e-readers and websites. It is applied in a variety of industries such as communication, e-commerce, finance, education, and transportation. Our commitment is to provide the support and information you need to navigate the EAA requirements effectively. Stay tuned for upcoming details on our educational series, and join us as we work together towards a more accessible future. Sign up for our newsletter via our homepage: https://tiltingthelens.com Image description can be found in the comments below.

This week, Tilting the Lens had the honour of attending the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where our CEO, Sinéad Burke, took the stage at the legendary Debussy Theatre. She was introduced by Cristina Diezhandino, CMO of Diageo, as one of this year’s Secret Speakers. Sinéad addressed the issue of disability representation in advertising, highlighting recent data that shows less than 1% of ads feature Disabled people. Emphasizing the importance of meaningful and long-term action, she urged inclusive campaigns to extend beyond just advertising, and used Tilting the Lens’ recent collaboration with Smirnoff on the "We Do We" campaign, an initiative that aims to make socializing more accessible, as an example of what is possible. She closed the talk by asking the question: Is representation alone enough? Or could we be ambitious enough to envision an industry where Disabled people can thrive - as producers, writers, directors. It was an inspiring few days, filled with many conversations on how we can make the creative industry more accessible. We are grateful to our partners at Diageo for their continuous commitment to working toward creating meaningful change. [Image description: a carousel of 3 images. Image 1: Sinead Burke stands in the middle of the stage at the  Debussy Theatre. Sinead is white, Queer, and a Little Person. She has a short brown bob and is wearing a denim Loewe jacket, a light grey silk shirt, and black trousers. Behind her is a large screen with the Cannes Lions logo at the bottom. On the screen, blue text over a green background reads "Who is not in the room?" Image 2: Sinead Burke stands in the middle of the stage at Debussy theatre. Behind her is a large screen with the Cannes Lions logo at the bottom. Projected on the screen, side by side are 2 images from the same DJ booth. In one image it is being used by the Disabled DJ, Lou Bru, who is a wheelchair user, and in the other image, the same booth is being used by Mel C of the Spice Girls. Image 3: Cristina Diezhandino stands in the middle of the stage at the Debussy Theatre. Cristina is white and non-Disabled. She has short, curly blonde hair and is wearing a black, mid-length dress with black wedge heels. Behind her projected on the screen are images from the We Do We campaign and the We Do Us event.]

We want to make banking more accessible. We’re conducting paid, online research through surveys and focus groups to understand the barriers and challenges Disabled people in Ireland experience in-branch, using online and mobile banking, and in communication. Do you self-identify as: - Blind - Low vision - Experience mental health conditions - Experience or have a mental illness - Chronic illness - Non-apparent disability We'd love to engage with you to understand the barriers to meaningful access, and to design solutions together. If you would like to be involved in our research, sign up using this link: https://lnkd.in/eaiZ2Rg7 [Image description: On a blue background, black text reads:Research participants needed. We want to make banking more accessible. Do you self identify as: Blind, low vision, experience mental health conditions, experience or have a mental illness, a chronic illness or a non-apparent disability. We're conducting paid, online research through surveys and focus groups to understand the barriers and challenges Disabled people in Ireland experience in-brand, using online and mobile banking, and in communication. Want to be involved? Sign up at the link in the caption.] 

We want to make banking more accessible. To do so, we need to understand the barriers and challenges, and want to work with the Disabled community to create solutions. So, to start, we’re conducting paid, online research this June through surveys and focus groups to understand the realities and the opportunities. The research aims to understand the challenges Disabled people experience in-branch, using online and mobile banking, and with communication. The survey will be live across the month of June and focus groups will take place online via Zoom on June 25th, 26th and 27th. We are currently looking for participants based in or who have lived in Ireland to apply. Participants will be paid for their time, lived experience and expertise. The survey will be available in audio and plain language formats. The focus groups will have sign language interpretation, live captions and agendas will be shared in advance. Any and all other required accommodations will also be provided. Do you self-identify as: - Physically Disabled e.g. you have challenges with dexterity or mobility  - Blind or low-vision - Deaf or hard of hearing - Neurodivergent - Having a learning or intellectual disability  - Having a chronic illness or non-apparent disability  - Having a mental illness or mental health condition We want to learn from your experiences, insights, and ideas to help create more inclusive and accessible experiences. If you’re interested, please click on our research form below and tell us a little bit about yourself. We really encourage those who experience multiple-marginalisation and can engage with this topic from an intersectional perspective to get in touch. Link to our research form: https://lnkd.in/e35jdBgr We’re really looking forward to designing solutions together. [Image description: Black serif text over a blue background reads “We want to make banking more accessible. we’re conducting pais, online research through survey and focus groups to understand the challenges Disabled people in Ireland experience in-branch, using online and mobile banking, and with communication.” A graphic of a magnifying glass and paper sits below the text.]

To mark the final day of Global Accessibility Awareness Month, our newsletter is about to land in inboxes. We wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our growing team, encourage you to sign up to receive our annual greeting card (designed by Disabled artist, Ananya Rao-Middleton) and share a free, downloadable checklist for event accessibility in PDF and Audio format. You can read our newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/ebdw83nD

We’re at D&AD Festival Southbank Centre today to present on How Design Should Include Everyone. Are you attending? Come meet our CEO and Founder, Sinéad Burke, our Senior Consultant for Community and Impact, Emma Shaw and our newest team member, Junior Consultant Laia Cargol Martínez.

In celebration of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, Tilting the Lens commissioned the talented Disabled artist Ananya Rao-Middleton to create an artwork for our annual card that embodies community, hope, and the ideal of crafting a more accessible world. Ananya is an illustrator and disability activist who uses her work to speak truth to the voices of marginalised communities. Her experiences of being an Autistic, Queer and Disabled woman of colour inspire her creative work. "I've overcome life-altering challenges like a brain injury and MS diagnosis to pursue my passion as an Illustrator. My path is defined by daring to dream and bravely turning those dreams into reality. Throughout it all, the disabled community has been my steadfast support, and I'm deeply thankful to be embraced by such a caring community." The design she created features different types of individuals coming together in one space, showcasing both diversity and collaboration. Ananya incorporates thoughtful imagery throughout her work: a butterfly on a table symbolises hope and change through metamorphosis, while the sunflowers framing the scene represent non-apparent disabilities. From all of us at Tilting the Lens, we want to thank you for your support this year. We look forward to the exciting possibilities the next year holds as we continue to learn from and collaborate with Disabled artists, creatives, educators, advocates and more. [Image description: A hand holds a card in front of a red Royal Mail postbox. The card depicts a group of five people are gathered around a brown, rectangular table which is in the middle foreground. On its surface is a purple globe, two pieces of white paper, some pens and a wrench. A Black woman with short, brown hair and a purple jumper stands on the left stretching out a measuring tape and looks down onto it. Next to her, in the middle of the image, stands a white man with short, blonde hair and a blonde beard. He is wearing an orange scarf and a dark green jumper and blue trousers. He is looking straight ahead. An Asian woman stands to his right. She has long, brown hair and is wearing an orange jumper, a red skirt and a grey belt. She is usingcrutches and points down to the table. Sitting at the table and in the middle of the foreground is a Black, visibly Disabled woman with short, purple hair. She is wearing small, gold earrings, a yellow, short-sleeved shirt and a red, knitted vest. To her left side, sits a Black, visibly Disabled woman who uses a green wheelchair. She is bald and wears an orange top, yellow-rimmed glasses, a light purple headband with a ribbon at the top. The background of the image features a bookshelf with colourful books on the top shelf. On topof the bookshelf is a red vase with yellow and orange sunflowers - a deliberate symbol of non-apparent disabilities. To the right, there are some floating shelves, decorated with colourful books and a purple mug with pencils and pens in it]

Don’t forget the application deadline for ‘Screen Stories : Getting Disabled Writers in the Room’ is this Friday 17th at 12pm, noon. Tilting the Lens and @nationaltalentacademies are working together to diversify the existing talent in the film and TV industry in Ireland, by supporting Disabled and other previously excluded voices to overcome existing barriers that hinder Disabled writers from achieving their full potential in film and television, and to reach the same levels of success as others. This partnership will begin by seeking to support Disabled writers ambitious to work in, or grow their opportunities in film or television, and will be curated in response to the ambitions / requirements of those selected, through bespoke training, mentoring and events developed to support stated ambitions and encourage voices, stories, and work by new and emerging talents. To apply or find out more about the programme, go to: https://lnkd.in/e2Xqfh3f The NTA Film & TV will meet the access requirements of the selected applicants, while adjusting the programme accordingly, and cover the associated costs. The National Talent Academies Film and TV are an initiative of @screenireland managed by @ardan_ie [Image description: Tilting the Lens logo is in the upper left corner, and The NTA Film & TV logo is in the upper right corner. The left half of the post is a video with an ISL interpreter. The interpreter is a white female in a black top and dark hair tied back. The right half of the post has text in black on a yellow background and reads “Apply Now. Screen Stories: Getting Disabled Writers in the Room. Deadline to apply: Friday May 17th, 12pm noon.”]

Meet our newest team member! In our fourth year, we're very proud to share that Tilting the Lens continues to grow and as a team of six, based across Europe, our capacity, skills and strategic objectives expand too. So, we'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to, and to formally welcome our newest team member, Laia Cargol Martínez. Based in London, Laia (pronounced lie-ah) joins us as a Junior Consultant, bringing with her a rich background in business development and a deep commitment to inclusion and accessibility. Most recently, she served as Business Development and Special Projects Manager at Hair & Care, a pioneering UK organisation supporting women who are Blind and low vision, ensuring that accessibility is rooted in function, but also pride, beauty, identity and community. Laia’s commitment to developing, implementing and measuring tangible impact aligns seamlessly with Tilting the Lens' mission. Already, her enthusiasm and pro-activity for systemic change is contributing to and shaping our team and broader community. Welcome aboard, Laia! [Image description: On a lime green background, a photo of Laia Cargol Martinez is viewed through abstract lens. Laia is a Spanish woman with dark hair. She is wearing a black top with short sleeves, a gold necklace and red lipstick. Next to the photo in black text, reads “Welcome to Tilting the Lens, Laia Cargol Martinez”]