<div>Joanne Roughton Arnold is a visually impaired opera singer from New Zealand who is also the co-founder of ForemidAbility  a new opera company which is breaking ground in accessibility and inclusion both on and off stage.</div>
<div>For Radio 4’s In Touch programme I caught up with Joanne in North London as she was rehearsing for the recent ForemidAbility very successful double bill of   Schoenberg’s Pierrot </div>
<div>Lunaire and Gillian Whitehead’s Hotspur for the 2019 Grimborn Festival  at the Arcola Theatre in London.</div>
<div>Listen to my interview with Joanne to find out what made her fly halfway across the world to study, why she moved from the violin to opera singer, how easy a career as a professional opera singer is for someone who is visually impaired and why she set up ForemidAbility.</div>

Melissa Reid Visually Impaired Surfer, BBC Radio 4’s In Touch Programme

freelance Radio Reporter / Audio Producer


Currently - Freelance Reporter - BBC Radio 4’s In Touch programme - producing features and items about news, views and information for visually impaired people.


2006 to 2018 - Deputy Director of VocalEyes national charity providing access to arts and culture for blind and partially sighted people - production of podcasts including; interviews with visually impaired and sighted artists highlighting access to theatre and the visual arts , production of museum audio-described guides, theatre introductory notes and audio newsletters.


Voicing VocalEyes monthly slot on RNIB Connect Radio highlighting audio-described events.


2000 to 2006 - Broadcast Assistant/Researcher/Reporter - BBC Network Radio - Working on both live and recorded programmes for BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4 including; Night Waves, Front Row, Saturday Review, You and Yours and In Touch. Researching items for programmes, production of features and items, recording interviews and other audio content, liaising with and dealing with contributors, press and PR officers and the general public.