CRIPtic 2026 Artist Development Programme

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Jessi Parrott and a PA performing in Bumps Jessi is a white person with short hair in rainbow dungarees, seated in an electric wheelchair. Behind Jessi is a person in an orange shirt, balanced on the back of their chair, and at the back of the stage is Lizzie Wharton, performing in BSL. The set is lit in green, with stacks of cardboard boxes.

CRIPtic Arts is thrilled to announce the re-launch of their four Artistic Development programmes for 2026, reaffirming their commitment to nurturing, championing and investing in disabled creatives across the UK.

Applications close on 13th March 2026

In 2026, CRIPtic Arts will once again deliver four artist development programmes, Reach, Launchpad, Breakthrough and Incubate. Each project is designed to support disabled creatives at different stages in their career, from emerging writers, fresh theatremakers, experienced creatives, and cultural leaders to disabled cultural leaders shaping change within the arts sector.

Nurturing the practice and work of disabled creatives is integral to CRIPtic Arts’ mission. When CRIPtic Arts talk about disabled people, they mean “people who face disableist [including audist] barriers”, or “people who identify themselves as deaf or disabled – or are identified by others as deaf or disabled in society”.

Their artistic vision for 2026 is “to support disabled people to tell big stories, instead of just being asked to serve our trauma up to non-disabled audiences. We are excited by work that makes space for disabled people to go beyond just telling stories about our lives, diagnoses and struggles, and into the broad, the divergent, the fictional, the historical, the political, and the fantastical – work that deals with big themes, and big questions – whether or not it mentions disability at all.”

Applications for all programmes are now open, and will close on Friday 13 March at 5pm. CRIPtic Arts encourages disabled creatives at all stages of their careers to apply and looks forward to welcoming a new cohort of artists in 2026.


Artistic Director Jamie Hale will be hosting an online Q&A on Tuesday 24 February, 1-2pm, where they’ll be going through the programmes and what they’re looking for in applications.

Ozioma Ihesiene stands looking down at the script in her hands. She is a black woman, wearing a green fleece.

Reach

Supporting five emerging writers to develop their first full-length solo show with online workshops, peer-facilitated sessions and residentials.

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Four performers in a line rehearsing for Autistic as Fuck. Anna, a freckled white woman, with long brown wavy hair, is signing. Next to her, Theo, a pale nonbinary person with dark features and short hair using a power wheelchair, is looking down at a script. Next to them is Kat, a pale woman with dark hair raising arms and smiling. And Evlyne, a black female with brown hair wearing a purple jumper is looking at a script.

Launchpad

A development and staging scheme for four creatives/groups to develop a 20 minute piece.

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Breakthrough

A commission for a UK creative or company who is ready to break into the mainstream.

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A headshot of Dave Young, a white man with short brown hair and a brown beard. Dave looks off to the left. He is outside and there are flowers, grass and trees in the background

Incubate

Facilitating four emerging disabled arts leaders or organisations through building their organisations.

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