York Central MP Rachael Maskell visited two exhibitions for York Disability Week at York Explore Library ‘The Eleanor Worthington Art Prize Exhibition’ and ‘A Census of Disability Joy’. The first commemorates Eleanor Worthington, a disabled artist born in York before moving to Italy. This is the eleventh exhibition for this prize, and this year’s theme was disability and self-fulfilment. ‘A Census of Disability Joy’ is an exhibition created by a York collective of disability artists, as part of Explore’s National Portfolio Organisation programme supported by Arts Council England.
Rachael also attended the ‘Poetry for All’ event hosted by Stairwell Books. This was an accessible poetry event for anyone facing barriers to enjoying poetry.
These events are all part of the programme for York Disability Week, which is supported annually by the York Human Rights City Network, disability organisations and volunteers from across the city. The week celebrates the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities, held each year on 3rd December to promote the human rights and well-being of all individuals who have a disability. Rachael Maskell MP has been a long-standing advocate and campaigner for the rights of disabled people, and she was really pleased to be able to attend these events.
The full programme for the week runs from the 29th November until the 6th December, and includes a variety of talks, workshops, creative activities, advice sessions, and exhibitions. The complete list of events can be found here: https://sites.google.com/view/iddpyork/individual-events-list-2025?
Rachael Maskell MP says:
“It was so inspiring to see the Eleanor Worthington Art Prize Exhibition and A Census of Disability Joy Exhibition, and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Explore York. The pieces put forward for the Eleanor Worthington prize were all incredible, and demonstrate a really high level of talent amongst all the students who put their work forward. A Census of Disability Joy was equally a really moving exhibition, which supports local disabled artists to reclaim the histories of disabled people and imagine a better future.
“I also attended the ‘Poetry for All’ event, which was really powerful, and a brilliant opportunity to make such an important creative art accessible to all.
“I was so glad to be able to attend these events as part of the wider programme for York Disability Week. There are some really brilliant events included in this year’s programme, and I really encourage people to check out the week’s schedule. I want to thank all those involved with organising York Disability Week. It is truly a fantastic set of events, committed to spreading empowerment, awareness, and support.”
Jenny Layfield, Chief Executive of Explore York Libraries and Archives, says:
“Explore is proud to be a founding partner of York Disability Week. Our commitment to inclusion extends far beyond any single exhibition though. As one of the few libraries to be a National Portfolio Organisation, supported by Arts Council England, Explore has placed disability arts at the heart of its mission by offering paid creative opportunities and mentoring schemes for disabled artists, as well as innovative exhibitions and collaborations. Our goal is to enable greater fairness in the way we create and share art in the city of York, ensuring disabled artists are not just included, but empowered to lead.”
This article was published by York Press on 4 December, 2025
This week is York Disability Week, the programme of events is at: https://sites.google.com/view/iddpyork/individual-events-list-2025?