Deaf Awareness Week: Reflecting on Collaboration, Learning and the Power of Visual Storytelling with Deafscope
As we take time to mark Deaf Awareness Week (5-11 May), we want to acknowledge the value of listening, learning and growing in our approach to accessibility and inclusion. At Creative Black Country, we are still on a journey, and we are grateful to those who walk alongside us and support us in doing better.
Deafscope’s Ishtiaq Hussain performing ‘VV’
Deafscope joined the consortia partnership as part of our Changemaker programme, which is about sharing lived and past experiences so that CBC can become accessible as a programme. Their involvement has brought important Deaf perspectives into the room, offering gentle challenge, practical suggestions, and thoughtful insights, particularly around improving accessibility for the Deaf community. As their formal role with us comes to a close, we want to offer our heartfelt thanks to Deafscope for their time, care and collaboration. The work doesn’t stop here - their insight will continue to shape how we move forward, and our commitment to improving access and inclusion remains firmly in place.
Their contribution has included attending our annual meetings, feeding into key conversations, and encouraging us to keep accessibility at the heart of how we shape creative opportunities in the region. We’ve appreciated their openness, their encouragement and their commitment to ensuring cultural experiences can reach more people, especially those who often face barriers in accessing the arts.
Over their time with us, Deafscope has helped CBC move in the right direction by:
Sharing lived experiences to inform our future planning at events.
Acting as a critical friend, offering feedback through an equity, diversity and inclusion lens.
Helping us reflect on how we reach marginalised groups so our open calls are as accessible as possible.
We’re grateful to have had Deafscope as part of our wider network, and we look forward to continuing to build on what we’ve learned together.
Shining a Light on Visual Vernacular with Ishtiaq Hussain
Deaf Awareness Week also gives us an opportunity to spotlight Ishtiaq Hussain, a talented Deaf artist whose work is both captivating and visually rich. Ishtiaq has been performing Visual Vernacular (VV) for more than 15 years, blending mime, movement and sign language into compelling stories that connect with audiences of all ages.
VV is a powerful performance style that transcends spoken language, offering a highly expressive and accessible form of theatre. Ishtiaq’s performances are full of emotion, energy and creativity. It’s been a pleasure to see him collaborate with organisations across the region, including CBC, Black Country Touring, Zebra Uno and Curiosity Productions.
In addition to performing, Ishtiaq is passionate about supporting others to integrate VV and British Sign Language into their own creative practices. He offers training and guidance to artists who want to make their work more accessible and inclusive through visual storytelling.
If you're interested in exploring how VV could enhance your creative work or make it more accessible, Ishtiaq would be happy to hear from you. You can reach him at ishvvworld@gmail.com.
Deaf Awareness Week reminds us of the richness the Deaf community brings to the arts and the importance of continuing to listen, reflect and act to ensure cultural spaces are truly inclusive. The work carries on, and we remain committed to doing more and doing better for everyone.
Deafscope can be contacted via email : kerrydeafscope@gmail.com or ishdeafscope@gmail.com
Words by Sajida Carr, Creative Black Country’s Director of Operations and Development