I recently attended the International Disability Arts Festival 2024 in Bangladesh, organised by the British Council. As a wheelchair user and disability advocate, I found the experience life-changing.

When I arrived in Bangladesh, I didn’t see people with visible disabilities on the streets. No wheelchair users or people with visual impairments were in sight, and the overall accessibility was as bad as, if not worse than, what we have in Nepal. In Kathmandu, people with physical disabilities use modified scooters; in Bangladesh, I saw none. So, I was sceptical initially, thinking this might be another development sector’s attempt to appear inclusive without any substance.

Breaking barriers

My doubts started fading with the first play I saw: “71 in Silence”. The play was about the Mukti Juddho, or the Bangladesh Liberation War, featuring wheelchair users and people with hearing and visual disabilities as actors. Their performances resonated with immense talent. Seeing them perform such complex movements and scenes, some even getting out of their wheelchairs and dancing on the floor, was inspiring. It was a big reminder of what can be achieved when barriers are removed and opportunities are given.

Throughout the festival, actors with severe disabilities continued to take centre-stage not just as token representation but as lead performers. One of the standouts was the adaptation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which was full of music and vibrance. The nearly house-full audience was captivated; the audience’s reaction to this play was unlike anything I'd seen in Nepal. There was a clear sense of awe and respect, not pity or discomfort. The audience were genuinely moved by the performers' talent and their storytelling. It made me wonder how we could create such an atmosphere of appreciation and understanding back home.

One thing that impressed me was the plays’ creative use of sign language. In Nepal, we often have sign language interpreters standing at the side of the stage, making it difficult for deaf audiences to follow the action and the interpretation simultaneously. Here, the sign language was integrated into the performance. Characters would take turns interpreting sign language, making it a part of the play rather than a separate element. This made a big difference in inclusivity and accessibility. Incorporating this into Nepali theatres could be game-changing. But there are challenges. We would need to train the performers in sign language, which will take time and resources. There might also be resistance from those who are used to the traditional way. But the benefit—a more immersive experience for deaf audiences and a more inclusive show overall—will be worth it.

From discomfort to confidence

I also met and talked to some performers, including a lead actor who walks using his hands and knees instead of a wheelchair. He is a final-year bachelor’s student and manages nine cows as part of his family’s livelihood. Acting has always been his passion, but he never had the chance to pursue it until this festival. Before becoming an actor, he felt uncomfortable about people staring at him while walking to his college. Now, with newfound confidence, he proudly returns those stares. He shared how even actors without disabilities look up to him as a mentor, which has been emotionally uplifting.

Seeing so many people with disabilities from all over Bangladesh participating in these plays made me realise the importance of inclusive arts. It’s not just a leisure activity; it’s a tool for empowerment and changing societal perspectives. It also made me think of all the artists with disabilities in Nepal we are not tapping into. How many talents are we missing because we haven’t created the space? His journey from discomfort to confidence proves what happens when we open the arts to people with disabilities.

The power of inclusive arts extends beyond Bangladesh. Traditional narratives that portrayed disabled characters as objects of pity or inspiration are being challenged. Instead, we're seeing more nuanced and authentic representations. However, progress is uneven. While some countries are making strides in inclusive policies for cultural spaces, others lag. The debate about disability inclusion in theatres is evolving, but it's clear that we need more than just accessibility ramps and sign language interpreters.

Enabling the disabled

In Nepal, we have made some progress in making theatres more accessible to audiences with disabilities, introducing ramps and sign language interpreters. These are necessary but feel like tokenism—a box to tick rather than real inclusion. What is missing is the development of artists with disabilities themselves. Unlike what I saw in Bangladesh, I rarely see performers with disabilities on stage in Nepali theatre. We must go beyond making theatre accessible for audiences with disabilities and focus on developing artists with disabilities. This means training programmes, opportunities for artists with disabilities to lead creative projects and challenging the idea that disability is a barrier to creativity.

I have been working with various people and organisations since 2019 to increase the cultural participation of people with disabilities in Nepal. Last year, I worked with the British Council to produce “Beyond the Norm”, a toolkit to make programmes and events more accessible to people with disabilities. It’s an easy-to-use document that all cultural practitioners should use. This year, my organisation is working with “Birds of Paradise” theatre, UK, on a disability theatre production. These are small steps through which I hope to support disability inclusion in the culture and arts sector as an audience and, more importantly, as creative professionals.

One of the most impactful moments for me at the festival was a play in which the actor I met earlier was tangled in a rope and trying to move forward while others were pulling him back. That powerful scene portrayed how society holds people with disabilities back. His question “All the things you do are normal and beautiful, but what we do is different and abnormal. Why?” left the audience speechless.