Accessible Arts / arts + disability NSW

• Taking the Lead

• Creative Inclusive

Taking the Lead

NSW Companion Card to increase attendance at events and venues

The Companion Card is currently being implemented in NSW and acknowledges that a carer is indispensable to a person with a profound disability, giving them equal access to services and facilities. Carers will receive free public transport and entry into events or venues at participating organisations. A recent survey in Victoria showed that since having a Companion Card, cardholders had more than doubled the number of times they went out from an average of 16 outings to 37 outings per year. Half of the cardholders interviewed said the card improved their social networks and 70 per cent said that having the card meant more people are willing to accompany them to venues. For more information about the program, to register interest to receive an application kit or to suggest an organisation to recognise the Companion Card, email companioncard@dadhc.nsw.gov.au.

International Festival brings survey of works by artists with disability to US

International Focus: VSA arts, an international arts and disability organisation based in Washington DC, is seeking visual artists who are interested in participating in the VSA arts International Festival to be held in 2010. As part of the festival, an international juried exhibition, Revealing Culture, will bring the most comprehensive survey of international artists with disabilities to the United States. Fifty artists from around the world will be selected on the aesthetic merits of their work. The exhibition will be held at the International Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. VSA arts will cover the costs of shipping artworks to and from the exhibition site. Artists in NSW who would like feedback about their applications contact Josie Cavallaro, Arts Development Officer tel: 02 9251 6499 ext 4 or jcavallaro@aarts.net.au.

Accessing the Arts Group call for new members

The Accessing the Arts Group (ATAG), as described by Anita Toft, the founding chairperson, “is dedicated to improving access for people with disabilities within the arts, disseminating current best practice and providing a forum for arts professionals to discuss areas of interest.” With over 45 members from arts organisations such as Historic Houses Trust, Sydney Opera House and Museum of Contemporary Art, ATAG meetings enable professional exchange and consolidation for lobbying. Members come together to discuss access programmes that they coordinate and to identify new opportunities. Members also advocate for access issues raised during meetings within their organisations. Each year begins with a planning meeting to identify topics for the quarterly forums. To express interest in joining ATAG, please contact Liz Tomkinson, Chairperson tel: 9298 3646, or Alison McLaren tel: 9251 6499 ext 6 or amclaren@aarts.net.au.

Training increases awareness of disability for arts organisations

Accessible Arts is presenting the first half-day TAFE accredited module in Disability Awareness and Access Training for 2009 on Tuesday 24 March from 1 pm to 4 pm. In addition to outlining the legal obligation to ensure equal access to all goods, services and venues (Disability Discrimination Act 1992), this training increases awareness of the barriers for people with disability when accessing the arts and provides strategies to overcome them. It is designed for individuals working in the arts and arts organizations and is essential for good practice. As a result of attending the course participants will gain a greater level of confidence when dealing with access issues for people with disability. Registrations close 10 March 2009. Read more...

Central West region-wide plan for arts and disability

Regional Focus: Arts OutWest is continuing a series of focused arts and disability consultations during February. The focus groups are identifying current activities and future opportunities for an integrated approach to the arts for people with disability in the region. Councils, educators and educational institutions, service providers, galleries and museums and other interested organisations and individuals are invited to come together to develop partnerships. At the end of 2008, the first very successful session was held in Lithgow. Cate McCarthy, forum facilitator explains, “There are a lot of islands of activity in the region who come together for International Day of People with Disability. With these partnerships developing, there are plans for activities throughout the year, better access to venues and training for artists with disabilities”. Focus groups will be held at Cowra, Wellington and Forbes with the aim of developing a region-wide plan for arts and disability in the Central West. Read more...

David Wallace, Aboriginal bush to 1997,
Recycle materials – wire, plastic, buttons.

Original works of art travel to remote audiences

The National Gallery of Australia is offering a unique travelling exhibition program to children and adults living in regional, remote and metropolitan areas. The Elaine and Jim Wolfensohn gift enables people from all around Australia to discover and handle treasured objects. The program comprises three art-filled suitcases that are available to tour to schools, libraries, community centres, nursing homes and disability support services. The suitcase kits give a wide range of audiences the opportunity to handle and appreciate original works of art by contemporary artists as well as works from other cultures and times. The suitcases may be borrowed free-of-charge and are titled Red case: myths and rituals which includes works that reflect spiritual beliefs from a range of cultures; Yellow case; form, space, design reflects a range of art making processes and Blue case: Technology. For bookings and more information contact National Gallery of Australia Travelling Exhibitions tel: 02 6240 6650 or email marylou.nugent@nga.gov.au.

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Creative Inclusive

Yayoi Kusama: Mirrored Years

The Museum of Contemporary Art, will feature selected work from the past forty years by Yayoi Kusama, a prolific and internationally acclaimed Japanese artist who experiences mental illness. This major exhibition commences 24 February and presents film, documentation of performances, sculpture, installation work and painting, including a recent body of 50 new print works made over the last three years. Her paintings, collages, soft sculptures, performances and environmental installations all share an obsession with repetition, pattern and accumulation. Her work is intensely sensual, infused with autobiographical, psychological and sexual content. Yayoi Kusama’s mental illness surfaced in childhood when she began hallucinating about dots, nets and flowers, which subsequently appear in her paintings and sculptures. Today aged 80, she continues to maintain her art practice. Further reading on Yayoi Kusama.

Increase in Assisted Performances throughout Sydney

An increase in the amount of audio described and captioned performances in Sydney over the last two years together with an improvement in the long term planning of these performances is providing greater access to the theatre. Vision Australia has compiled event listings for all audio described performances for the 2009 Season at Sydney Theatre Company and Ensemble Theatre. Captioned performances at Glen Street Theatre have also been planned for 2009 with one matinee and one evening performance every month. Sydney Theatre Company will also present main stage captioned performances for their 2009 Season. “Organisations experience direct benefits in increased ticket sales when they provide equitable access to venues and events. Audiences can now expect captioning and audio description to be part of this equitable access,” commented Alison McLaren, Audience Development Officer, Accessible Arts.

Stories from a sensory world at Powerhouse Museum

Rita Solomon (nee Pringle) is believed to be one of the earliest Australians to use dogs for orientation and mobility, doing so even before the first Guide Dogs Centre was established in Perth in 1952. A new exhibition at the Powerhouse Museum offers visitors a window into the world of the blind and low vision community and celebrates their achievements. Living in a sensory world: stories from people with blindness and low vision features objects from Vision Australia’s heritage collection, which includes rare items such as ‘Sonicguide’ glasses from the 1960’s which used sounds to identify objects, and a copy of a Braille Playboy from 1974. The exhibition aims to educate about eye conditions, as well as offer insight into how Australians who are blind or have low vision create art, work, play sport, and carry out everyday tasks. The exhibition will feature Braille, large print labelling and audio guides. Read more...

David Hanson, Boat, window-wire tapestry.

Roomies @ the House : Outsider Art at Parliament House

A month long exhibition presenting the works of Roomies Artists will take place during February at the Fountain Court Gallery, Parliament of NSW, Macquarie St, Sydney. Roomies is a non-profit community art studio where boarding house residents and artists with mental illness or disabilities are able to attend workshops, work individually or work with volunteer mentors to develop as practicing artists. Works and written statements about the artists’ experience of the project will be exhibited along side works by the artists’ mentors. The exhibition will be launched on Thursday 5 February by Parliamentary Sponsor the Hon. Penny Sharpe MLC and a celebratory afternoon tea with the artists. All welcome. The exhibition continues until 27 February and is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. All artworks at the exhibition are for sale and proceeds go to the artists and Roomies program, an unfunded initiative of the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre. For more information email Natalie or Leigh roomies@newtowncentre.org.

Profile – Jennifer Stockins, Sydney based artist

Jennifer Stockins is a practicing artist who is furthering her skills as an arts worker and an artist in a number of innovative ways. She is currently completing her Masters degree in Fine Arts at Wollongong University and she will be having her first solo exhibition in the faculty gallery in February. She is also currently a trainee arts tutor for St George Mental Health Arts Development and has been able to assist with organising exhibitions, excursions, catalogues and the publication of a book of the group's artwork. Jennifer was one of the committee members for AART.BOXX 2008 and is looking forward to joining the AART.BOXX 2009 committee this year. She says, "Being a member of the committee was a great way to meet other artists and learn about their work. It was also a great opportunity to learn about the process of organising an exhibition of this scale. I gained valuable experience in the curating and the installation of work as well as delivering an artist talk and hands on workshops."

Upper Hunter Home Among the Stars

Regional focus: A partnership between Integrated Living Australia and St Joseph’s High School in Aberdeen continues to provide opportunities in the Upper Hunter for inclusive creative arts. Alison Richardson from Accessible Arts, Emma Palmer and filmmaker David Lawrence recently spent a week in the region with a large group of people from both the high school and the disability support service. Through video interviews, theatre games, scene creation, object sculptures and movement routine the group devised a 40 minute show called Home Among the Stars. A short documentary of the week was also produced. Alison said, "It is a huge undertaking from everyone involved from the performers to the support workers, students and volunteers, to deliver a show in four and half days. But with the enthusiasm of the whole community and Chic Taylor from Integrated Living Australia at the helm, it is an unforgettable time for each person involved." For more information contact Alison Richardson, tel: 02 9251 6499 ext 7 or arichardson@aarts.net.au.

Other events & opportunities

• Expression exhibition - featuring the work of school students developed for the Special Education Needs Through Art (SENTA) project

• Shh company - Blind As You See It

• ArtStart 09 - Design commission opportunity for young artists

• Meet local Authors – Summer Reading Program at Marrickville Library

• Cancer Council art exhibition - call for entries

• Janet Holmes à Court Artists' Grant – small grants for professional artists

• Creative Leisure Classes for people with intellectual disabilities - Rozelle Neighbourhood Centre

• X Factor Kidx Dance Group – dance for children and young adults with physical needs such as those who use wheelchairs and frames

Feedback

We invite feedback and suggestions from our readers. Share your experiences of attending any of the listed events or offer suggestions for future newsletter items. Email feedback to info@aarts.net.au.

Send us your news

Contributions to the newsletter are welcome and encouraged. Please send us your item by the 15th of the month, for the following month’s edition. Listings should include the title, date, location, a short (100 word) description plus all available contact details, access details and an image (JPEG or GIF format). Artsevents, opportunities or news that will be of interest to people with disabilities, their families, friends and carers and are accessible will be published. Email contributions to: info@aarts.net.au.