Accessible Arts / arts + disability NSW

The reference group meets three times a year with a range of issues on their agenda, including most recently, contributing to the scope and development of Accessible Arts' strategic plan for 2012-2014.

Members of the group also feed back their professional and personal experiences of access to the arts as people with disability who have an interest in and regularly attend arts and cultural events.

Simon Darcy, is an Associate Prof with the University of Technology Sydney, Business School and a disability advocate who is passionate about experiencing a rich cultural life. He has been a member of the group for three years and states:

“Participating in this forum is a way of being proactive rather than reactive about accessibility, and strategically communicates the way that we want our cultural environments shaped as spaces for all, so that we (people with disability) can culturally interact with our families and friends.”

Working with major arts festivals was tabled at the last Audience Reference Group meeting, as Accessible Arts works towards presenting a Festival Forum to bring together presenters and producers from the many festivals that happen annually across NSW. Inaccessible venue selection at these festivals is a major concern and disability awareness and access will have a strong focus at the upcoming forum, with support from the City of Sydney and Sydney Opera House.

For more information or to enquire about becoming involved in the Audience Reference Group contact Sophie Clausen, Access Coordinator tel: 02 9251 6499 ext 107 or ac@aarts.net.au.