The Unanima Youth Performance Academy supports people with learning disabilities, developing theatrical skills and creating opportunities to perform. And they have just been awarded a grant to take their work to new levels. Tracy Radford, CEO and Artistic Director, shares the story of their success with Left Lion...
The Unanima Youth Performance Academy in action
Tom Platinum Morley
So, what exactly is Unanima?
Unanima is an artist development and socially engaged arts organisation based in Mansfield. We work with learning disabled and autistic artists to develop talent, create ambitious artistic work and play a meaningful role in shaping culture.
Alongside artist development, we produce cultural events, including our annual fringe festival OneFest, and deliver programmes that use creativity to bring people together, challenge perceptions and strengthen communities.
We believe great art can come from anywhere, but not everyone has equal access to opportunities, networks and resources. Our work focuses on removing barriers, supporting artists to thrive and creating high-quality cultural experiences that reflect the diversity of our communities.
Does it work to a philosophy or set of values?
Yes, absolutely. At the heart of our work is a belief that culture is stronger when more people can contribute to it. We are committed to creativity, inclusion, artistic excellence and equity, and want learning disabled and autistic artists to have the same opportunities to develop careers and influence cultural life as anyone else.
Our vision is: Culture cannot thrive until everyone can create it.
Our mission is: We develop artists, create extraordinary cultural experiences, and challenge who gets seen, heard, and valued in culture.
The organisation was recently awarded a grant of £200,000. How did that come about?
The funding comes from Youth Music's Shift the Scene Fund, which supports organisations working to remove barriers and create more equitable opportunities for disabled children and young people in the creative industries
The process was highly competitive, and Unanima was one of just 13 organisations awarded funding. We demonstrated both the need for this work in Nottinghamshire and our track record of creating meaningful creative opportunities for learning disabled and autistic people.
Cool. How will this change your work?
Shift the Scene funding will help us tackle the lack of creative opportunities available to many learning disabled and autistic young people before they reach adulthood, over four years through the creation of Unanima Youth Performance Academy (UYPA)
UYPA will work with 16 to 19-year-olds, creating a high quality training and talent development pathway that builds skills, confidence and ambition, while helping young people transition into existing Unanima pathways and opportunities.
We'll strengthen routes into creative activity, leadership and employment, while ensuring young people help shape the programme themselves. Ultimately, the funding moves us closer to a cultural sector where talent and creativity, rather than circumstance, determine who gets to participate and succeed.
many of those barriers remain deeply embedded within our cultural systems
Do people with learning disabilities face barriers to accessing the arts?
Yes, and many of those barriers remain deeply embedded within our cultural systems. Some are practical, such as transport, cost, inaccessible information and lack of support. Others are attitudinal, with low expectations often limiting opportunities.The result is that many people miss out on creative development, social connections and potential career pathways, while the arts sector misses out on talented artists and valuable perspectives.
For us, inclusion isn't just about access. It's about ensuring learning disabled and autistic people can contribute to, influence and lead culture.
Why practise theatre and performance skills?
Theatre and performance are powerful tools for creativity, communication and self-expression.They help people build confidence, develop relationships, strengthen communication skills and explore their identity. They can also create pathways into professional artistic practice and employment.
Most importantly, performance creates visibility. It allows people to tell their own stories and be recognised for their talent and creativity rather than assumptions about disability.
We see theatre not simply as an activity, but as a way for people to participate in cultural life as artists, collaborators and creators.
How would you like Unanima's work to develop over the next 5 to 10 years?
I'd like to see Unanima become one of the UK's leading organisations for developing learning disabled and autistic artists and a recognised force for positive change within the cultural sector.
That means supporting more artists into sustainable careers, producing ambitious new work, growing OneFest as a nationally recognised festival and strengthening access to high quality culture across Mansfield and the East Midlands.
Most importantly, I'd like to see learning disabled and autistic artists fully represented across the arts sector as an essential part of our cultural landscape
Shimara is a performer and employee at Unanima
Tom Platinum Morley
Could you share the story of one Unanima's performer?
When Shimara first joined Unanima, she had little confidence in her own abilities and limited expectations of what might be possible for her future. Through consistent engagement with our programmes, she developed her creativity, built confidence and embraced new opportunities. Her commitment and determination have been central to her progression.
Today, Shimara is a valued member of Unanima Theatre, contributing to the creation and performance of ambitious touring work. Through our Making a Musician programme, she has become the lead singer of Little Trees, performing, writing and recording original music.
Shimara's journey has now led to paid employment through Unanima's Shift the Scene programme, where she will work as a paid intern for the Unanima Youth Performance Academy. Having progressed from participant to performer and musician, Shimara will use her experience to help shape the programme and support other young learning disabled and autistic people to develop their own creative ambitions.
Shimara's story demonstrates what can happen when talent is recognised, nurtured and supported over time. Her progression from a young person with low confidence to a performer, musician and paid intern reflects Unanima's commitment to creating meaningful pathways into artistic development, employment and leadership for learning disabled people.
Is there anything else we need to know?
One thing I'd emphasise is that our work is as much about artistic excellence as it is about inclusion. Inclusive arts practice is often viewed primarily through the lens of participation, but we're focused on developing artists, creating outstanding work and contributing to the cultural life of our communities. We believe those ambitions go hand in hand.
We're also proud to be based in Mansfield. We want to demonstrate that ambitious, artist voice-led cultural work can be created here and that local communities deserve access to the very best creative opportunities.
At a time when the arts have an important role to play in bringing people together and amplifying under-represented voices, that feels more important than ever.
Find out more about Unanima Youth Performance Academy's work and opportunities here.
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