Art and disability: Dean’s creative participation story
Art & Ability
By Dean Nash · Originally published 20 May 2015
Original article
Dean Nash isa Sydney-based songwriter, actor and singing teacher with cerebral palsy. Passionate about the arts, literature, and pretty much every HBO series.
I remember the first time I performed in front of a large audience. I remember the nerves building up in a crescendo of anticipation, until I stepped on stage and they slowly dissipated. I felt the warmth of the stage lights, and I felt calm. I saw the silhouette of 900 people, and I didn’t feel alone. I felt the music vibrating through the floorboards, and I was hooked!
I was terrified, but exhilarated. I was centered… I was home!
It feels like every week my newsfeeds are filling up with more and more articles and posts relating to disability and artistic mediums. Everything from disability film festivals, to inclusive theatre and government grants for disabled artists – and this excites me immensely!
I am and always have been completely obsessed with all things relating to the performing arts. This passion has shaped the person that I am today in many ways, including the impact my disability has had on my personal development.
It’s no secret that living with a disability can often limit a child’s exposure to social situations. It’s also no secret that during a person’s most insecure adolescent years, a disability (regardless of its nature) can be the cause of crippling self-doubt and insecurity. These are problems that, more often than not, follow a person into their adult years and can be more debilitating than the disability itself. This is due to missed social milestones and a lack of inclusion, which is unfortunately still an issue synonymous with youth and disability.
“What can be done, though?” I hear you asking. Well, I am so glad you did ask, my hypothetical questioner!
The answer is to create. The answer is to imagine. The answer is to throw off the shackles of what is real and limiting. To grasp something from deep inside your mind, your heart, your soul, and make it tangible.
I am of course trying to say, the answer is art!
The process of creating art in any form is amazingly beneficial to the developing mind. There are three key benefits:
Social and Emotional Growth
Communication skills
Problem solving
__Social and emotional growth is __developed by learning to express emotion through untraditional mediums, to collaborate, and to be open and sharing with the work you create. It’s also a great self-esteem booster!
Art, particularly performance art involves a lot of listening, improvising and working with body language as well as verbal cues. This is an incredible way to build communication skills.
Art is definitely a process. I would go as far as to say it’s a never ending journey of learning and discovery. The longer you travel down the road of your chosen artistic medium, the more masterful you get. You develop “outside the box” methods for __problem solving, __and this skill is completely transferable to other aspects of life.
You could fill a book with the benefits of art for personal development. In fact, I’m sure there are quite a few (might be worth a google search!).
Rather than implore you all to get creating, I want to leave you with one of my favourite quotes and hope that it resonates.
_“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time” – Thomas Merton _
Clickability editorial update: October 2026
Choose the creative experience you want, then check what makes it workable
Start with the form of art that interests you: making something, performing, listening or attending with others. You do not need to choose the activity that appears most therapeutic or use participation to prove confidence. Ask about the space, equipment, session pace and communication arrangements that matter to you.
If the organiser offers help, explain what you want and what you prefer to do yourself. A class might be enjoyable without being an NDIS-funded support. Use current NDIS support rules to separate ordinary activity costs from disability-related assistance.
If a service is promoted as therapy, ask about the practitioner’s qualifications, purpose and the individual goals involved. NDIA therapy information provides the funding context. A general claim that art is beneficial does not establish clinical effectiveness or entitlement. Keep the choice grounded in your interests and the actual service offered.
