Accessible Arts / arts + disability NSW

Taking the Lead

dis/assemble dance project, Albury/Wodonga

Networks foster arts & disability across the state

On Wednesday 21 July 2010, Accessible Arts hosted a forum to consult with Regional Arts NSW and its network of Regional Arts Development Boards, to propose a strategy for rural and regional engagement with arts and disability. The forum provided an opportunity for the Regional Arts network to showcase arts and disability projects, as well as create dialogue with Accessible Arts about the proposed Rural and Regional Engagement Strategy, ensuring it is relevant and effective for local regional communities and networks. Regional Arts Development Officers from Murray Arts, South West Arts, Arts Out West, Arts Northern Rivers, Outback Arts and Arts North West attended the forum along with the Regional Arts NSW CEO Elizabeth Rogers. “Together, I am confident we are moving arts and disability forward in the regions. Regional Arts NSW and its network are collectively strong advocates for inclusive practices,” said Sancha Donald, CEO Accessible Arts. Read more: Networks foster arts & disability across the state.

A Different Light Theatre Company, NZ

Arts Activated National Conference 2010 now online

Keynote speeches presented by Jenny Sealey, MBE on both days of Accessible Arts’ Arts Activated National Conference are now available online. An image gallery and a number of audio, word and pdf versions of speaker presentations are also available including Executive Officer, Arts Access Australia, Gareth Wreford’s speaker presentation on the National Arts & Disability Strategy and artistic director of Restless Dance Theatre, Phillip Channells presentation on Working Towards Excellence. A film clip from the pre-conference dance masterclass Beyond Technique | Searching for Authenticity is also available. Over 350 delegates from the arts and disability sectors attended the conference and overall feedback collected from an online post conference was very good with 87% indicating that the program was above average to excellent.

Regan Hughes, Video and Film Editor

Pilot program supports creative industry for people with disability

An employment program piloted by The Spastic Centre in 2009 has created opportunities for people with cerebral palsy to establish profitable business ventures in the arts. The Entrepreneurial Employment Program provided Greg Mouser and Regan Hughes with a business mentor and a small grant to plan and establish their business aspiration. Regan Hughes used the program to purchase equipment and set up his home based video and editing studio as well as register a business and tap into the expertise of business advisor Mike Coles. Having obtained a Certificate IV in Film and Television from North Sydney TAFE, Regan now offers post-production video editing services to a broad range of clients. Greg Mouser has established a craft business, producing hand-made, one of a kind cards. He sells his entire range from two retail stores in Sydney as well as at a number of weekend markets. Read more: Pilot program supports creative industry for people with disability.

Online resource measures community based arts program

Western Australia based arts access organisation DADAA has launched a national arts and health digital platform, in partnership with the Rio Tinto WA Future Fund, Healthway and The University of Western Australia. Now in its fourth year, the Disseminate initiative aims to demonstrate the valuable contribution that community arts make to the health and wellbeing of people living with a mental illness, intellectual or physical disability. Disseminate’s online hub will enable practitioners, community groups, policy makers and academics to access and contribute to resources including evaluation frameworks and tools, research results and case studies that will enable evidence-based practice and policy in arts and health. “The initiative will demonstrate the diversity of arts practice that we have in Australia and its impact on improved health outcomes, particularly through social inclusion initiatives,” said David Doyle, Executive director of DADAA. Read more: Online resource assists with evaluating community based arts programs.

Creative Inclusive

Small Grants support project development for Don’t DISmyABILITY

Accessible Arts Small Grants for this year’s Don’t DISmyABILITY art projects are now open. The grants have changed shape this year, with a total of six grants being offered in three categories including individual artists, projects based in rural and regional NSW and those based in Western Sydney. Grant allocation is for $3000 each and the increase in grant support will make selected projects attractive to potential funding partners, a key strategy to encourage partnerships between the arts and disability sectors. Sarah-Vyne Vassallo, Arts Development Officer, Accessible Arts explains, “The change in grant support aims to provide opportunities for projects to increase focus on skills development and quality participation in the arts through partnerships and engaging professional artists. Accessible Arts will support funding recipients in the development of these outcomes.” Read more: Small Grants now available for Don't DISmyABILITY arts projects.

Touring theatre production moves access to centre stage

A partnership between Accessible Arts and Critical Stages, to support the NSW tour of UK modern classic A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, is educating performing arts venues about access and disability awareness. A Day In The Death of Joe Egg by Peter Nichols is a theatrical portrait of a young couple, trying to sustain connection in the face of ordinary emotional adversity, who also happen to have a 10 year old daughter called Joe with a disability. Accessible Arts has compiled a Performing Arts Venues Access Pack to inform presenting venues about access and disability awareness to support and promote the play to audiences inclusive of people with disability. The NSW regional tour of A Day in the Death of Joe Egg commenced on the 23 July and will tour to venues in Port Macquarie, Bathurst, Dubbo, Tamworth, Taree, Lismore, Wagga Wagga among others around the country. Read more: Touring theatre production moves access to centre stage.

David Gillham, Alcoa Anglsea Power Station, fibre tipped
pencil paper, 2009.

AART.BOXX goes biennale

The art exhibition that has been presented annually by Accessible Arts since 2006, has shifted to a project developing over an 18-month period and presented bi-annually. “The extended time frame enables a greater capacity for building relationships with artists, galleries and the creative committee that partner with Accessible Arts to realise the project,” said Josie Cavallaro, Arts Development Officer at Accessible Arts. “It also opens up a space for experimentation, the commissioning of new artistic works and the piloting of innovative and accessible public programs.” AART.BOXX captures the works of artists who have come to making art from multiple in-roads. Artists with a sustained practice who have never exhibited before are discussed alongside artists who have an established art career. Applications to join the AART.BOXX committee are currently open. To apply, complete and return the application form available to download on the AART.BOXX project page by Wednesday 18 August 2010. Read more: AART.BOXX goes biennale.

Access tours at RESPECT exhibition, August 2010.

Access tours at RESPECT exhibition connect arts and disability

Australia Council for the Arts is coordinating a series of accessible tours to showcase the multi artform exhibition RESPECT to audiences with disabilities. Now open at Rover Thomas Auditorium in Surry Hills, access tours throughout August include an easy english tour and artmaking workshop, an Auslan interpreted tour and an audio described/tactile tour. Curated by Djon Mundine, works explore themes around what respect means in our daily lives.  These include Crossing the Roper Bar an audio work by the Australian Art Orchestra and installation Pemulwuy Dream Team by You Are Here, an animated Wii-remote boxing game developed alongside the local Redfern community. “Presenting access tours at this exhibition provides an opportunity to implement Council's Cultural Engagement Framework that link policies such as the Council’s Arts and Disability Action Plan, and Reconciliation Action Plan,” said Alison McLaren, Program Officer, Community Partnerships, Australia Council for the Arts. Bookings and more information on access tours available at What’s On.

Other Events and Opportunities

• Seminar on access changes in public buildings - Australian Human Rights Commission present an information session on The Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards (Premises Standards).

• Access tours at RESPECT exhibition - an easy english tour and art making workshop, an Auslan interpreted tour and an audio described/tactile tour at the Australia Council for the Arts current exhibition.

• MCA Bella Program 2010 - free hands on art education for young people with specific needs at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

• Dance Oolites - dance group for children and adolescents with varying disabilities in the Blue Mountains.

• Junction 2010: Connecting the Future - the seventh Regional Arts Australia national conference takes place in Launceston, Tasmania 26-29 August 2010.

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.