Accessible Arts / arts + disability NSW

Accessible Arts, in partnership with City of Sydney and the Sydney Opera House, is hosting a forum today to review accessibility at arts festivals.

Festivals are increasing in popularity and continue to give expression and exposure to innovative creative arts and culture. About 1 in 5 of the population identifies as living with disability. Australians with disability are a diverse group which includes people born with disability and people who acquire disability through illness, accident and ageing.

The Festivals Forum will engage in an exchange of ideas, experiences and expertise. This is an exciting opportunity for festival managers, programmers and educators to review progress, information, initiatives and challenges facing their festivals when improving access for audiences to events.

The panel of speakers leading the discussion includes:

• Bruce Maguire, Policy Officer with Vision Australia and formerly of the Disability Rights Unit of the Australian Human Rights Commission
• Simon Darcy, PhD, Associate Professor Events, Sport and Tourism at UTS Business School – Management, who specialises in developing inclusive practice for organisations
• Alastair McKinnon, Strategy Analyst with Screen Australia and formerly Head of Policy with Ausfilm working in international production attraction.

When: Tuesday 19 July 2011, 2:00pm - 5:00pm.

Where: Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House

Access: The Sydney Opera House is an accessible venue

To attend this event or request interviews please contact Tracylee Arestides, Media & Marketing on 0425 208 521.

For further information about this release contact:

Tracylee Arestides, Marketing & Media Coordinator P: 02 9251 6499 ext 101 M: 0425 208 521 E: marketing@aarts.net.au

Is access the new green? Arts festivals forum today (Word 111KB)