ABSTRACT
Having examined the normative content of Article 30 of the UN Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and its implementation by States Parties, this chapter explores barriers experienced by persons with disabilities in the exercise of their rights. By presenting the empirical findings of a study conducted in the 27 Member States of the European Union (EU) plus the United Kingdom (UK), it discusses barriers that operate in all art forms as well as in cultural heritage, and it encompasses the participation of people with a broad range of disability types both as audiences and as creators of culture. In doing so, the chapter aims to highlight what needs to be addressed to fully realise Article 30 CRPD. The chapter evidences that a range of interlinked barriers hamper the enjoyment and exercise of the right to participate in cultural life in all its dimensions. The barriers that are commonly perceived by people with disabilities relate to five overlapping issues: lack of effective laws and policies, inadequate services, negative attitudes, lack of accessibility, and lack of involvement of persons with disabilities in cultural organisations. This chapter links the discussion of barriers to the obligations laid out in Article 30 CRPD and to the human rights model of disability, which constitutes the theoretical framework of the book.
