Music
The Rockers, experimental rock band from
Wollongong, NSW.
Accessible Arts promotes the accessibility of music in NSW and supports inclusive music practice to improve opportunities for people with a disability to express their creativity through music.
"All people are musical Australians, whether they recognise their own musicality or not, share their life with music. Music marks many of the major events in our lives. It defines our childhood and our youth. A relationship with music is something that we share from our cradles to our graves."
Ian Harvey, Music Council of Australia
Australian Musical Futures: Towards 2020
Music initiatives and partnerships seek to:
- Locate accessible pathways for people with an experience of disability to learn, create, perform, record and enjoy music in NSW.
- Improve representation of people with disability in Sydney's choirs, orchestras, mentorship programs, training schemes and music performance venues.
- Increase the resources for music education and the number of state funded music programs for people with disability.
"As a musician I aim to include rather than hide my disability, for it is a part of me and deserves recognition. But we are not 'Disability Artists'! Musicians, artists, writers, poets, playwrights and actors with disabilities don't contribute just to the 'crip culture'. We are equal contributors to the global conversation, and deserve to be recognized as such."
Catherine Branch, Classical Musician & Research Fellow
Accessible Pathways Forum
In June 2009, Accessible Arts held a forum that brought together eight adult musicians to talk about personal experiences of music. The group discussed the opportunities and barriers they had found on their own experience as musicians.
Download minutes from the forum in the 'Download' column.
Accessible Music Pathways on Facebook
The Accessible Music Pathways group on Facebook is an open network of musicians, music technicians, music educators and music studios wishing to broaden accessible music pathways. The development of this group is one outcome of the Accessible Pathways Forum.
Accessible Music Pathways Group:
- Share information, opportunities and ideas to increase the range of Accessible Music Pathways in NSW.
- Profile your work and expand the contacts of all musicians with disability in NSW.
- Gather together people interested in the experience of music practice, performance and technology in relation to disability.
- Increase awareness of and support for people with disability who wish to express their creativity through music.
"We could organise music studio session or share our sounds digitally through this Pathway. As much as myself, we will all benefit from this"
Pierre Comarmond, Musician
Current accessible pathways to music for people with a disability
Accessible Arts funded two music based projects as part of 2009 Don't DIS my ABILITY campaign for International Day of People with a disability. These included:
- Byron Shire Council (North Coast NSW) Drumming to My Own Beat
- Tra La La Blip (Northern Rivers NSW) Electronic Music workshops.
These Accessible Arts small arts grants are made possible with the support of the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care.
Further information
Contact Becky Chapman, Arts Development Officer, tel: 02 9251 6499 ext 105 or bchapman@aarts.net.au (Mon & Tue only).