Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to provide a new perspective on how arts education in Japan might better contribute to social inclusion. This paper is based on interviews with staff from Chickenshed, a theatre company aiming for social inclusion in London, UK. It examines performing arts activities for social inclusion of people with disabilities with a particular focus on practitionersʼ perceptions towards “difference” and “disability”. A viewpoint emphasised in the interviews is that a disability is simply another difference that exists between everyone, and that social inclusion should not only be pursued with regards to disability but also about all sorts of differences. In performing arts activities for social inclusion, it is important to make “difference” an opportunity for learning and discovery by highlighting the beauty of diversity over conventional notions of “disability”.
