The Party People Project

We’re committed to creating spaces which are safe, inclusive and fun, so we’ve loved doing The Party People Project, working with adults with learning disabilities to create ace parties.

We’ve been running workshops teaching participants with learning disabilities how to DJ, make party decorations and drinks, develop art installations, and work lighting and sound equipment. We also covered security, personal and public safety during the workshops.

Pre-covid, these workshops each culminated in a Saturday night disco at The Brick Box Rooms in Bradford city centre. Events were created and curated by adults with learning disabilities, but were open to all as a Saturday night drop-in party.

 

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, our Summer 2020 party took place entirely on Zoom, and was a huge success so we repeated it throughout 2020 and 2021. It meant we could open the virtual doors to people from all over the country (and other countries too).

As well as advertising the opportunities and events on our own networks, the following organisations also helped to spread the word: Mind the Gap, HFT, Purple Patch, Pyramid of Arts, Gig Buddies Bradford and Calderdale, Bradford Council, and Luv2MeetU. Big thanks to them! And many thanks to Bradford Council’s commissioning team for funding this project.

The Party People Project has now become its own separate entity, under the expert leadership of Chemaine Cooke and James Heselwood, and you can follow it on their website at partypeopleproject.co.uk as well as on Twitter at @partypeoplehere and on Instagram at @thepartypeopleproject.