Hold the front page! Disability Wales Annual Conference and AGM is coming to Cardiff on Tuesday 17 October 2023.
Join us at Glamorgan County Cricket Club and online as we consider the representation and portrayal of disabled people in the media.
Over the years, news stories and media features about disabled people have seldom been a true reflection of the lives we lead and the societal barriers we face. More often than not, stories adhere to stereotypes with features perpetuating disabled people as benefit scroungers or, in contrast, presented as superheroes who have accomplished great feats.
On the other hand, we know that the media can be a great tool to challenge these stereotypes and can serve as a powerful force in terms of changing society’s view of disability, promoting our rights and raising awareness of the barriers that disable us.
Media portrayals, whether good or bad, can have a lasting impact on society and disabled people themselves. That’s why we’re bringing broadcasters, journalists and disabled people who work closely with the media together this October to discuss what works and what needs to change.
So, what can you expect on the day?
We have a brilliant line-up of speakers who will take to the stage to examine to what extent disabled people are currently represented across the media and think about the impact media portrayal has on societal attitudes and disabled people themselves.
It’s time for us to ask the questions as we prompt broadcasters and news outlets to think about how they tell our stories and what can be done to challenge stereotypes instead of fuelling them.
Guests and organisations will include major broadcasters such as BBC and ITV, the NUJ and prominent disabled figures in the media who’s work we are excited to highlight.
This will be a hybrid event so if you’re not able to join us in person, don’t worry, you can tune in online. This is to ensure accessibility to a wider audience across Wales.
With talks, panel debates and workshops populating the agenda, this is an event you don’t want to miss. We do hope you can join us.
If you’d like to be a part of the conversation, please book your place on Eventbrite now. We can’t wait to see you there!
*Watch this space for further details and more speaker announcements.
Bursary scheme
Bursaries are available to Full Disabled People’s Organisations and Individual Disabled Members to assist with the costs of attending the event (travel, accommodation, support etc). To find out more, please contact finance@disabilitywales.org
Sponsorship and exhibits
Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities are also up for grabs. If your organisation would like to be there, please email finance@disabilitywales.org for more information.
