Much of the world is missing out on out on a whole vibrant culture, largely unseen but right there in its midst.

As a deaf actor, writer, director – and Creative Programmer of the 2025 Edinburgh Deaf Festival – that’s something I’m trying to change.

Something very striking is how enriching hearing people find it when they start to discover deaf culture. That can be the distinctiveness of its humour, the perspectives of people who experience the world differently, or the vitality of British Sign Language (BSL).

There’s also immense creative talent in the deaf community, something that’s all too often squandered through lack of opportunity. Too many highly skilled deaf people are still being overlooked.

In the arts world, there are signs of change. Last year Shakespeare’s Globe in London staged a production of Antony and........

© Herald Scotland