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Image of the Southbank Centre in London, UK

Unlimited UK Bursary Winners Announced

In partnership with the British Council, Accessible Arts is very pleased to announce the recipients of bursaries to attend the Unlimited Festival and Symposium 2018 in the UK. Unlimited aims to give arts practitioners with disability an opportunity to develop international partnerships and collaborations.

The bursaries are to contribute to the costs of attending Unlimited Festival and Symposium and being part of the British Council international delegation.

The two recipients from New South Wales are Philip Channells and Riana Head-Toussaint.

Philip Channells – Dancer, Director and Choreographer

Philip has spent a large part of the last twenty years committed to the development of disability-inclusive dance practice in Australia and abroad. He is fiercely dedicated to embedding access and inclusion as a predominant and driving force in his arts practice. When asked what he hopes to gain from attending Unlimited, he identifies: “establishing new and developing existing relationships, collaborations, and partnerships for the betterment of our collective cultural life.”

Philip Channels is standing with his back to a green wall. Part of his face is covered in shadow

Philip Channells

Riana Head-Toussaint – Actor and Theatre-maker

As well as being an emerging artist with disability (actor and theatre-maker), Riana is a lawyer, and has a particular passion for issues surrounding access to the arts for people with disability. Riana is looking forward to attending Unlimited to expand and inform her own personal arts practice, but also to improve her advocacy around ensuring meaningful access to the arts for people with disability – whether as performers, audience members or organisers.

When asked for her thoughts, Riana says: “I am so excited to go to Unlimited – it is a fantastic opportunity for me as both an artist and an activist. I cannot wait to forge connections with other artists, and gain knowledge to bring it back to Australia to help galvanise our own domestic arts and cultural institutions into action.”

A woman is sitting with her elbow on a table and her head resting on her hand

Riana Head-Toussaint

In Addition

Accessible Arts would like to thank and acknowledge the efforts of everyone who completed an expression of interest to attend Unlimited 2018. The organisation recognises the time and commitment required to submit a competitive application.

Also, and prior to the opening of expressions of interest for Unlimited 2018, Accessible Arts secured a grant of $1000 from the British Council for Liz Martin, the Arts Development Manager at Accessible Arts, to travel to the UK for Unlimited, and act as a liaison during the Festival and Symposium.

More on the Unlimited Festival and Symposium

The Unlimited Festival is taking place from 5 – 9 September at the Southbank Centre in London, UK. The program is comprised of commissions alongside other work from the UK and overseas. It will encompass a variety of art-forms including dance, theatre, visual arts, literature and music. You can read more here.

The Symposium is taking place from 4 – 5 September at the Unicorn Theatre in London, UK. This is a two-day discussion event leading into the Unlimited Festival. This event is aimed at professionals in the cultural sector who want to engage with different perspectives and plan for real change. You can read more here.


This page was first published on 19 June 2018.