Accessible Arts / arts + disability NSW

In November 2011 Accessible Arts in partnership with Museums and Galleries NSW, presented the seminar Platform to Heritage: Accessible Arts in Heritage Sites. The seminar showcased rich and varied accounts of how both conservation and access have been successfully integrated into an inclusive and invigorating relationship with our heritage environments.

Carla Wherby, Auburn based visual artist and recipient of Accessible Arts’ AART.BOXX scholarship, travelled with her sisters Paula and Lisa to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra last month to study war objects, memorabilia and ephemera.

North Coast based Accessible Arts Officer Julie Barratt is making connections in the Mid North Coast region. She will visit the Coffs Harbour to Port Macquarie area from the 21 to 24 February 2012, to meet with regional galleries, disability support services, artists, art workers and any other community arts organisations working with people with disability.

Julie Barratt, the Accessible Arts Officer North Coast has announced the launch of Accessible Arts' Connecting Communities project. A group show of works by artists with disability and local entertainment will take place at the Connecting Communities exhibition, Northern Rivers Community Gallery in Ballina on Saturday 11 February 2012 from 2 to 4 pm.

Classes : Sydney : Term 1 from 28 Jan 12 : Sydney Creative Movement is offering accessible dance classes at various venues in Sydney.

Seminar : Redfern : 27 Feb 12 : As part of the City of Sydney's Connect Sydney program, an Intensive Grants Winning Seminar has been organised for community organisations.

Workshops : Granville : 15 Feb-27 June 12: The Reel Thing is a series of film-making workshops for people with a physical disability.

Call Out : Sydney : Mar-Jul 12 : FRANS are now calling for expressions of interest from practising artists to run inclusive workshops in the Leichhardt local government area.

Workshop : Lane Cove : 15 Feb 12 : Different Degrees, previously known as the Larrikin Theatre, is an ensemble of people with different abilities working together to create and perform theatre works.

AARTS Event : North Coast NSW : 8 Feb to 4 Mar 12 : Launch celebration for Connecting Communities: North Coast Arts and Disability, including live performance and associated exhibition.

UK based actor, dancer and comedian Kiruna Stamell will be a keynote speaker at the Arts Activated National Conference 2012 presented by Accessible Arts.

New and innovative access initiatives at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta have increased the quality and scope of creative opportunities for people with disability in Western Sydney.

Adelaide-based business The Captioning Studio has been awarded the Australian Human Rights Commission’s 2011 Human Rights Award for Business.  The Awards were announced at a gala luncheon ceremony held in Sydney on Friday, 9 December, and attended by more than 400 people.

Minister for Ageing Andrew Constance has announced $188,000 in grants to 267 local government, community, volunteer and not-for-profit organisations across the State for NSW Seniors Week 2012 celebrations, events and activities.

Arts Access Australia has announced the recipients of the first round of Cultivate professional development grants for artists with disability. The grants provides seed funding to artists who want to further develop their professional artistic practice with the aim of being better placed to pursue a professional artistic career and to compete for funding in general arts funding programs.

Sydney Festival is looking for enthusiastic people to communicate their passion and knowledge of Sydney and the arts to 2012 Festival patrons.