Accessible Arts / arts + disability NSW

Taking the Lead

New approach to musical works for cochlear impant users

The Bionic Ear Institute in collaboration with Melbourne based composer and sound artist Robin Fox, have received funding to develop a series of musical works to enable people with cochlea implants access to music like everybody else. “Composing for the cochlear implant presents a fantastic opportunity to approach music from a completely new angle," Robin said. "The technical peculiarities of the implant provide a set of parameters for the composer that require, in essence, a new solfege or organizing principle for the creation of musical works. The challenge will be to make works that can be appreciated by cochlear implant wearers and the general public alike.” The Music Board of the Australia Council for the Arts is funding the project under its New Work category. The initiative as also attracted funding from the Australian Network for Art and Technology (ANAT). Read more: New approach to musical works for cochlear impant users.

Daniel Kotja at the Riversdale property

Kotja’s stroll at Bundanon

Daniel Kojta, new media artist and recipient of the 2010 Accessible Arts Bundanon Residency, spent four weeks at Bundanon’s Fern Studio in April 2010. Working with video, sculpture, found objects, lights and audio, Kojta developed new work reflecting the legend of Arthur Boyd as well as responding to the creative approach of other artists he met at the residency. In his video work Walking all over my friends, Kojta directs these artists to film the lower half of their bodies as they walk, and unites their movement with his torso in a choreographed 'derive' through the geography of a single body. The result presents Kojta (wheelchair user) walking through the geography of Arthur Boyd's Bundanon as contemporary flaneur. Josie Cavallaro, Arts Development Officer at Accessible Arts and Jacqui O’Reilly, Communications Coordinator, took a day trip down to Bundanon to talk with Kojta during his residency. Read an interview of the artist.

Music technology links metro and regional arts & disability

Lismore based music making collective Tra La La Blip brought a regional presence to the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney this month. Collective member Mathew Daymond and founder/music producer Randolf Reimann presented two electronic music making workshops at the museum’s creative digital media precinct, Thinkspace. Music makers from Centrecare and Inala Disability Services played an expanded range of electronic instruments from the Tra La La Blip set up including the new addition of Percussa Audio Cubes, a theramin interface played by artists like Bjork and designed in Belgium. Editing and mixing the sound files recorded at the Powerhouse Museum’s workshops will now take place back in Lismore with Tra La La Blip members. The music produced from this process will be presented back to the disability services in Sydney, creating a virtual exchange of music production, originating at Australia’s largest museum. Read more: Music technology links metro and regional arts & disability.

New Inventors highlight emerging furniture designer’s vision

Tasmanian based Duncan Meerding is achieving his goal of being seen as a furniture designer with a vision, rather than one with a vision impairment. "My furniture is obviously influenced by my vision impairment but I want it to be nice to look at, nice to touch," he says. The 23 year old will be profiled on the ABC's New Inventors on Wednesday 23 June 2010 at 8:00 pm. Richard Skinner, the acting head of the furniture design department at the Tasmanian School of Art, University of Tasmania, says Meerding has the potential to be an important voice in Australian design. “He's very much making things by touch and helping us see in a different way,” Skinner says.  Duncan will graduate with a double major in Furniture Design and History later this year and commence an Arts Tasmania Scholarship at the cooperative Designed Objects in July. He presented the paper ‘The Practicing Artist perspective: Practicing as a Legally Blind Furniture Designer’ at the Accessible Arts' Arts Activated National Conference in March 2010.

How to Lose Weight in 60 Seconds, dir Dave Carter

Captions at Dendy Awards applauded by filmmaker

The decision by Sydney Film Festival to include open captions at Australia’s first short film awards held particular significance for Sydney based filmmaker and finalist, Dave Carter. As a filmmaker who is also Deaf, Dave applauds the festival and confirms there is a need for more captioning to be available in all cinemas. “I'm used to being forced to only see foreign films and I miss out on relating to other films on a cultural level. Personally it was brilliant that I could critique the competitor's films fairly,” he explained. Dave’s shortfilm How To Lose Weight in 60 Seconds was one of three animations that made the short list Dendy Awards and his first attempt at claymation. Captioning at this year’s festival continues a long-term commitment to access initiatives. Accessible Arts has worked in partnership with the festival to support the delivery of access since 2007. Read more: Captions at Dendy Awards applauded by filmmaker.

Creative Inclusive

Art centres exchange skills to increase access for people with disability

Accessible Arts held a skills exchange day for Western Sydney arts centres on 27 May 2010. Major arts venues from across metropolitan Sydney came together for the exchange at Blacktown Arts Centre, to focus on education and information about the development and delivery of tactile and audio-described tours. "The S-X Day was devised partially in response to recommendations from the National Arts and Disability Strategy, to increase quality arts and cultural experiences in museums and galleries for people with disability," said Jennifer Teo, Strategic Initiatives Western Sydney, Accessible Arts. "It provided an opportunity for curators, producers, education and public programs staff to discuss issues and exchange ideas on tactile and audio-described tours within various arts contexts." Guest speaker Coral Arnold spoke about her experience of attending various tactile tours and audio-described events as a person with low vision and expressed the value of accessing mainstream cultural events. "The majority of us want to see what you’re seeing or what your mother or your father is seeing," she explained. The Art Gallery of NSW and MCA provided draft guidelines to share with the S-X group to assist with the development of resources to support public programs that include audio description and tactile experiences. Read more: Art centres exchange skills to increase access for people with disability.

Audio describer Josie Cavallaro with Coral Arnold and
Amanda Tink at the Biennale’s Lord Mayor Community
Access Day MCA audio described tour

What’s on at the 17^th Biennale of Sydney

Cockatoo Island is the venue for the next Lord Mayor Community Access Day tour at the 17^th Biennale of Sydney. The installation of nine cars, suspended and pierced with pulsing rods of light by New York based Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang will be part of both the Auslan and audio described tours.  For wheelchair access to Cockatoo Island, catch the free ferry from Pier 2/3, where 11 video and sculpture works are also being presented. The video installation Isola Bella by Danica Dakic at this venue, was developed collaboratively with people with disability living at the Home for the Protection of Children and Youth in Pazari, near Sarajevo. The last of three Lord Mayor Community Access Days will take place on Sunday 11 July 2010 at the Royal Botanic Gardens and the festival continues until 1 August 2010. All exhibitions are free.

Mary McMahon, seated front right, joins Richard Gill, Musical
Director, Victorian Opera and others at the Accessible Arts
Music Pathways Forum

Networking at music forum improving access to the Opera

Thirteen-year-old Charitha McMahon has a passion for classical music and recently attended a Sydney Symphony Orchestra rehearsal, his first ever experience of a live classical music performance. The invitation came about when Opera Australia’s Education Manager, Frances Gordon met Mary McMahon, Charitha’s foster mother at the Accessible Arts Music Pathways Forum in April 2010. Mary attended the forum due to a project she has initiated, to advocate for the programming of concerts by the various orchestras performing in Australia, specifically for people with disability. Mary explains, “There are many people like Charitha, with intellectual and physical disabilities, who are unable to attend classical music concerts where absolute quiet is required during a performance and who might make a noise or move around.” The project is in its infancy and when Frances Gordon learnt about Charitha, she offered to speak to music colleagues about creating an opportunity for him to experience his dream as soon as possible. Read more: Networking at music forum improving access to the Opera.

Dance Awards to be Auslan interpreted

The 13^th Australian Dance Awards take place this month at the Arts Centre in Melbourne, celebrating Australia’s best dance acts of the year with awards across 10 categories. The awards are presented by Ausdance, Australia’s professional dance advocacy organisation and this year’s awards are being Auslan interpreted. Joshua Wright, Director Ausdance Vic said, “Dancers who are Deaf or hard of hearing are a key component of the sector, continuing to influence the artform as choreographers, performers, educators, audiences and thinkers. Ausdance aims to ensure that our events are accessible to all dancers and dance lovers.” Performances by The Australian Ballet, Bangarra Dance Theatre, Ludwig, Lucy Guerin Inc, Buzz Dance Theatre and others will be presented. Dance companies from NSW that have made shortlists for awards include Sydney Dance Company and Bangarra. Restless Dance Theatre, an integrated dance company of young people with and without disability, has been shortlisted for outstanding achievement in youth or community dance.

Successful CASP applicants, Disability Services Australia,
Festival of Ability 2008

Fund supports arts and disability projects in the regions

Regional Arts NSW has announced the successful applicants of the Country Arts Support Program (CASP) funding for 2010.  This funding will support 155 new arts projects throughout regional, rural and remote NSW, two of which directly engage arts and disability. Disability Services Australia received $1,380 for DSA Impro @ The Festival of Ability. A group of DSA's Queanbeyan Day program participants will be tutored by Impro Theatre ACT over an eight week period, then plan to present an improvised drama production at the Queanbeyan Festival of Ability in December 2010. Melbourne based dance troupe 'Deaf Can Dance' received $1,500 to provide hip-hop dance workshops for deaf and hard of hearing students from Albury and surrounding areas throughout semester 2, 2010. Another key funding source for arts and cultural activities in regional, rural and remote communities of NSW, The Regional Arts Fund (RAF) is currently open for applications. Read more: Applications now open for Regional Arts Fund (RAF) 2011.

Other Events and Opportunities

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. Listings should include the title, date, location, a short description (100 words), plus all available contact details, access details and an image (JPEG or GIF format). Arts events, opportunities or news that will be of interest to people with disability, their families, friends and carers and are accessible will be published. Email contributions to info@aarts.net.au.