ABSTRACT
Having examined the normative content of the right to participate in cultural life, its implementation by States Parties, and barriers experienced by persons with disabilities when exercising such a right, this chapter focuses on what supports the realisation of Article 30 of the UN Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities (CRPD). In particular, it presents and discusses the factors that participants in the study, conducted in the 27 Member States of the European Union plus the UK, perceived as facilitative of cultural participation. It highlights the growing interest in disability issues amongst people working on culture and recent improvements in access and participation in culture by people with disabilities. Facilitators discussed include cultural funding mechanisms that promote equality by mandating accessibility on the part of funded organisations, training in anti-discrimination, as well as the need to disseminate and build on best practices. This chapter links the discussion of facilitators 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.
