Leveraging EU non-discrimination law to make the cultural and creative sectors more inclusive of professionals with disabilities: socio-legal perspectives

Abstract

Working in the cultural and creative sectors is often seen as an atypical exercise, which differs from mainstream practices in the labour market and operates outside the standard regulatory framework. In this context, the situation of cultural and creative professionals with disabilities and the applicable EU legislation can be overlooked, both in research and in practice. Following a socio-legal approach, this article associates desk-based legal research and empirical research, and considers how the participation of cultural and creative professionals with disabilities could be fostered within the current EU regulatory framework. It identifies gaps and potential in EU cultural policy, disability law and labour law, and, supported by the findings from a qualitative study with EU cultural stakeholders, it discusses the challenges that cultural and creative professionals experience, including those with disabilities. Contributing valuable insights into the participation of persons with disabilities in cultural life, the article argues that the Employment Equality Directive, a pillar of EU labour law and non-discrimination law, can play a key role in making those sectors more inclusive.