Accessible Arts' Western Sydney project is drawing to an end, but the work this project has inspired is by no means over.
Approximately 250 people attended the Plugged In Launch Party at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta on the 5 October 2010, demonstrating the enthusiasm of a number of disability services that would like to engage more with the arts as part of their programs.
Plugged In, a month of inclusive arts events throughout October 2010, will celebrate some of the achievements realized through Accessible Arts’ Western Sydney project, increasing cultural activities, access and opportunities for people with disability in the Western Sydney region.
Accessible Arts held a skills exchange day for Western Sydney arts centres on 27 May 2010, in response to the need to develop audiences that include people with disability at museums and galleries.
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Partnership key to work achieved in Western Sydney arts and disability
Powerhouse Youth Theatre’s dynamic partnership with Accessible Arts continues to deliver projects and resources in the Western Sydney area and beyond, including developing strategies to improve inclusion within school holiday performance programs and producing online resources for integrated performance settings.
Throughout the second half of 2009 Accessible Arts and Powerhouse Youth Theatre established the interACT schools program. This program aims to integrate young people with a disability into mainstream school holiday performance programs at arts centres across Western Sydney.
As a relationship building exercise, interACT’s Workshop Coordinator, Matt Stewart coordinated a series of free in-school drama workshops which were led by Accessible Arts’ Western Sydney Creative Programs Coordinator, Alison Richardson.
An opportunity for a person with a disability to be mentored on facilitating drama workshops was also created, and Digby Webster assisted Alison with four workshops. Participating schools included St Johns Park High, Prairiewood High, Cabramatta High and Fairvale High.
Working towards outcomes such as improving the amount of performing art opportunities for young people with disability in the area and boosting the number of students with a disability attending school holiday programs at arts centres, has underpinned the interACT project.
A comprehensive online resource kit to raise awareness about integrated performance is another positive strategy that the partnership between PYT and Accessible Arts has achieved.
The interACT Resource Kit includes workshop plans and case studies from organisations and disability services across regional and metropolitan New South Wales, outlining the practice of working in an integrated performance setting.
“We are very excited about the interACT Resource Kit.” said Claudia Chidiac, Artistic Director PYT, “It provides a platform to highlight and acknowledge existing projects and practitioners in NSW for the great work they achieve.”
interACT is available to read online, or for free download as a PDF, Word document or Large Print Word document. It will assist those who want to work in the field of integrated performance with tools and techniques that have been tried and tested.
The interACT Resource Kit is available at http://interactresource.com.au