Accessible Arts / arts + disability NSW

Over the past month, Accessible Arts has strongly supported the call to action developed by the national peak arts and disability organisation, Arts Access Australia, in response to the newly released National Cultural Policy. The effective campaign led to the removal of the word ‘tolerance’ in respect to people with disability. Efforts have now turned to securing the required $24 million to implement the National Arts and Disability Strategy, of which $500,000 has been invested by the Commonwealth since 2011. The funding is to enable the full and equal access to arts and culture as recognised by the Commonwealth in signing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  We hope you enjoy this edition of the newsletter, which again highlights the diversity of our work and the development of the organisations and artists that make up the sector. (Image: Kiruna Stamell and Sue Healy at Catalyst Dance Master Class Series)

What will the National Disability Insurance Scheme mean for artists with disabilities? Accessible Arts has launched into 2013 with a forum, Arts and the Individual, to explore this question at the launch site of the NDIS roll out in Newcastle. This project will gather and develop information from the sector. The launch of the Supported Studio Network funded by Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation also offers new information and greater promotion of artists with disabilities who practice in supported studios across Australia. The Minister for the Arts, George Souris, and the Minister for Ageing & Disability Services, Andrew Constance have shown their support for artists with disabilities, announcing the 12 recipients of the Amplify your art grants. These artists commence their professional development projects from March 2013. Change and opportunity is on the horizon for Accessible Arts with the transfer of our relationship with ADHC to the newly created Office of Disability, Family and Community Services - an exciting year unfolds for arts and disability across NSW. (Image: Robert Thom Smith, Amplify your art recipient)

Message from Sancha Donald CEO Accessible Arts: As the end of the year  approaches, lets celebrate the progress that has been made towards greater inclusion of people with disability in the arts throughout 2012 in NSW. The sector came together with great enthusiasm at Arts Activated, our national conference in October. The NSW Arts and Disability Partnership 2012 - 2014 between Arts NSW and Ageing, Disability and Home Care is playing a vital role in enabling projects, initiatives and strategies to develop through arts and disability partnerships across the state.  Accessible Arts' own initiatives such as Delineate and the newly launched Supported Studios Network are contributing to sector development through increasing opportunities for individual artists with disability and for the many organisations and services that support them. Increased recognition and mainstream support from the community can be seen and we thank our many partners and sponsors who have enabled us to achieve our goals throughout 2012. From all the team at Accessible Arts, we look forward to continuing working together in 2013. (Image credit: Sancha Donald, Robyn Archer AO & Sharman Pretty, at The Walsh Bay Arts Table 2012)

How can the arts and disability sector in NSW work most effectively to realise the cultural shift that marks this time and is being supported by the NSW Arts and Disability Partnership 2012 - 2014 between Arts NSW and Ageing, Disability and Home Care (ADHC)? Funded by ADHC under Stronger Together Two, recipients of NSW Arts and Disability Partnership 2012 funding are now online. This funding supports a range of programs and projects happening across the state to increase participation in the arts for people with disability. Download the list and find out who is doing what, approach your local recipient and become involved. The Arts Activated Conference 2012: Desire & Destination is the perfect opportunity to network across the nation, to connect and work together, as we build and grow our arts programs to be a conduit for people with disability to contribute to Australian cultural life. Book your registration and support the cultural shift that is upon us, progressing person centred arts participation for people with disability in Australia.

Minister for the Arts, George Souris has announced $310 million for NSW's outstanding cultural institutions. Accessible Arts' commends the Government for supporting these initiatives. We are aware that a number of the capital projects will improve physical access to venues along with increased access to public programs. People with disability will benefit from this investment in the State's vibrant arts and cultural sector. Celebrate with us at the Walsh Bay Arts Table on Wednesday 31 October from 7 pm to 10 pm on The Wharf, Pier 2, 13 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, Sydney NSW. Book now for this special evening of fine food and wines, with guest speakers and a contemporary art auction guest curated by Dr Gene Sherman AM. The Arts Table, hosted by the Walsh Bay Arts and Commerce group, is a highlight of the Crave Sydney International Food Festival and all proceeds will support the work of Accessible Arts. Early bird tickets $135 on sale until 29 June 2012. Book now @ Walsh Bay Arts Table.

Matthew Calandra & Reg Mombassa, Cicada Press, COFA.

The NSW Government’s renewed commitment to the development of arts and disability initiatives across the state is an exciting one. Accessible Arts is looking forward to contributing to increased participatory and professional development opportunities as a direct result of the new partnership between Arts NSW and ADHC. The partnership has resulted in an additional $1.5 million of funding for the arts and disability sector. Accessible Arts’ training in General Disability Awareness is currently open for bookings and will be held at Accessible Arts on 1 May 2012. The third Walsh Bay Arts Table will be held on 31 October 2012. Part of the Crave International Food Festival, this event will include a silent auction of artworks selected by guest curator, Dr Gene Sherman AM and live entertainment. All proceeds from the evening go towards supporting the work of Accessible Arts. Early bird tickets are available for $135 by contacting Virginia Pacino at vpacino@aarts.net.au.

The cast of Variant. Photographer James Brown

The Arts Activated Conference 2012 will be the perfect opportunity to bring together the growing progress of inclusive arts and culture in Australia. Planned for October 2012, its time to start thinking about how you can be involved. In recently announced grant rounds, Arts NSW has awarded seven arts organisations funding for projects focussing on arts and disability. Totalling almost a quarter of a million dollars, these grants will fund a wide range of projects across the state from film and digital projection artwork to dance, theatre and visual arts. Accessible Arts congratulates the sector and will continue to work to support these projects and other initiatives that are developing strength to win public arts funding.

Giraffe family, Clarrice Collien, Framing Gravity,
Sydney College of the Arts, 2011.

The final edition of Accessible Arts news for 2011 brings with it good wishes for Christmas and the New Year. At the opening of Accessible Arts’ Framing Gravity exhibition, Glenn Barkley, Curator, Museum of Contemporary Art said, “A lot of contemporary art is about something rather than just being something, these works and this show is really a display of something. Accessible Arts and the artists in the exhibition are engaging in something that is very real, that is pragmatic, open and equitable.” This notion expands to all the work being achieved in the arts and disability sector, we thank our supporters and contributors and look forward to working together in 2012.

Delineate Professional Development Day, Don't DIS my
ABILITY 2011

In October 2011, from the floor of the 5th World Summit on Arts and Culture, over 500 delegates from around the world called on IFACCA members, their governments and artists worldwide to adhere to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities to ensure that people with disability have equal access and opportunity to engage in all areas of the Arts. On a national level, Accessible Arts submitted a response to the National Cultural Policy Discussion Paper advocating for greater representation of people with disability in the Arts through a range of strategies including education, employment and access to technology. In NSW, a range of projects, events and new resources are on offer including residencies, regional and metropolitan projects for Don’t DIS my ABILITY 2011 and growing arts & disability networks.

Kevin Meagher, artist-in-residence, Insideout Gallery

Raising awareness of the outstanding artistic achievements of artists with disability is the focus for Accessible Arts over the coming weeks. Framing Gravity, the 5th edition of the AART.BOXX project, features artists from across Australia working in a range of mediums including spoken word, works on paper, textiles, video and sculpture. The exhibition, to be held at SCA Gallery, Sydney College of the Arts, the University of Sydney, offers the artists an opportunity to reach a wider audience, and increases opportunities for the presentation of their works. AART.BOXX brings together many contributors across both the Arts and Disability sectors and an invitation to join Accessible Arts at this year’s exhibition is extended across the country. The response from the north of NSW regarding the new Connecting Communities: Arts and Disability North Coast project has been widespread, as was the number of applications received for Delineate. Successful recipients of the Delineate arts program funding are now online.

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Dave Carter, How to lose weight in 60 seconds, 2010.

"Making access happen" is the message Accessible Arts is promoting throughout NSW. A short promotional film clip with the concept "arts & disability - its the bigger picture" will reach crowds of 160,000 at the Winter Festival in Sydney CBD over the next three weeks on a giant outdoor screen. The trailer, now also on You Tube, is made entirely of content representing the works and projects of artists with disability including dis/assemble dance project, Daniel Kojta, new media artist, Dave Carter, animation filmmaker and the First Flight Crew. Regional NSW is also on the agenda – Accessible Arts has received a community builders grant to establish a Regional Arts and Disability Officer to be based in the Northern Rivers region. This new position will be open for applications in the coming weeks.

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Access and participation, arts and cultural practice, audience development and strategic development are the key focus areas of the Cultural Ministers Council National Arts and Disability Strategy. Residencies, symposiums, forums and mentorships profiled below, activate these focus areas and are improving access to the Arts through a range of events and opportunities. Accessible Arts 2010 Annual Report is now online. Download a copy to get across the sector's achievements realised throughout NSW last year. The Strategic Planning Survey 2012 - 2014 and Accessible Arts' recent planning day have revealed future directions to continue the good work.

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