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Accessible Arts Logo and web banner - artwork 'Wattle Tree' by Mabel Ritchie

Welcome to our August 2015 newsletter.

This month's news highlights the successful grant recipients of the Lifetime Care and Support Authority Small Grants Program. All involved are excited to see the projects develop over the coming months. The full list of awarded projects is available for viewing on our website.

Joanna Agius, our Deaf Arts Officer, would like to invite the Deaf community to attend an evening at Campbelltown Arts Centre, to meet curators and discuss their creative programs. This is an Auslan interpreted event on Thursday 3 September at 6pm.  Read more about the event on the arts centre's website.

The Art Gallery of NSW is presenting an Auslan Tour on 16 September of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes exhibition with Deaf Artist Stefan Kater, a 2015 Sulman finalist. Full details on the Art Gallery of NSW event listing.

All free tickets for Arts Access Australia's upcoming 'Meeting Place' have been allocated, but you can still organise for a paid place by contacting Arts Access Australia. A bursary is now available to provide successful applicants with a contribution of up to $500 towards travel and accommodation costs associated with attending the event. Visit the event listing on AAA's website for full details.

Lastly, our congratulations to Carla and Lisa Wherby for winning the Sustainability Art Award at the 2015 Auburn Mayoral Art Awards Saturday with their entry titled 'Sydney Housing Crisis: Shocked, Hocked, Blocked & Rocked'.

[Banner Image: Chinese Parents Association, Delineate 2014 recipients]


Expo Web banner

arts + disability expo


Accessible Arts is proud to announce the release of the cultural program for the arts + disability expo. View the full program online and download the Word version

In other expo news, hear Sancha Donald CEO speak with Eastside Radio 89.7FM at 6pm, Tuesday 15 September.

We are also seeking volunteers for the 2-day event. Please contact Bea Giorgi, Expo Coordinator, to discuss your participation. Email Bea at bgiorgi@aarts.net.au

A reminder that registration is free and online at the registration page of the expo website

We look forward to seeing you at Carriageworks in September.


image of string ensemble musicians standing in a line wearing black holding their instruments

Australian Chamber Orchestra Ticket Incentive


The Australian Chamber Orchestra [ACO] is offering a new ticketing incentive for people with disability. People that quote 'Accessible Arts' can access tickets for any ACO Sydney Opera House concert Hall performance at the price of $46.

This is across all price reserves and seating. Limit of 50 tickets in total for each performance. This offer will be available from the Sydney Opera House box office for phone and counter bookings only +61 2 9250 7111.


Catalyst Dance Banner

Catalyst Dance Residency Expressions of Interest * Open Now


The Catalyst Dance Residency Program is a national artist development program across two years for dance practitioners with and without disability who demonstrate a commitment to integrated dance practice. 

Key residency dates:

Year One 2015 - Sunday 11 October – Saturday 17 October 

7-day Skills and Career Development Residency, Carriageworks, Sydney, 2015 

Year Two 2016 - Monday 15 August – Saturday 20 August 

6-day Choreographic Research Lab Residency with Critical Path, Sydney, 2016 

The program includes masterclasses, choreographic labs, mentorships and career development. Participating leading dance artists include:

Tess de Quincy, Margot Politis, Peta Strachan, Kay Armstrong, Sarah-Vyne Vassallo, Dan Daw, Michelle Ryan, Janice Florence, Philip Channells and Marc Brew.

The program is disability-led and supported by an advisory team of industry professionals with and without disability alongside program associates from Ausdance NSW and Murmuration Dance Theatre. 

Visit the Catalyst Dance website to apply to this exciting opportunity.


Donate to Accessible Arts | Get involved with Promise or Pay


Reasonable and Necessary

reasonable and necessary screenshot of website image

What is Reasonable and Necessary in your life?

Access2Arts, in partnership with Arts Access Australia (AAA) is encouraging people to think big about their goals and their futures, and providing a fun and creative way for people to share these goals with the creation of ‘Reasonable and Necessary’.

‘Reasonable and Necessary’ is a participatory art project aimed at offering people with disability an opportunity to contribute their aspirations of what they consider ‘reasonable and necessary’ in their lives.

Give your thoughts about what is ‘Reasonable and Necessary’ in your life at the project website.

Screenworks Createability

Access Banner

A significant, anonymous gift donation to Northern Rivers based screen industry organisation, Northern Rivers Screenworks will allow it to fund twice the number of locally produced short films during the second year of its Createability project.

In just the first 6 months alone, the project has been attracting a lot of positive interest, as well as the attention of a local philanthropist.

As a result of the goodwill of the donor, who has asked to remain anonymous, Screenworks is now planning to double the number of short films to be produced for the second year of the program. You can read the full article here on the Screenworks website.

Featured Artist

Black and white portrait of Dan Daw

Emily Dash graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Arts in 2013. As co-writer and performer, Emily’s credits include Social Network Stories (Carriageworks), Happily Ever After for Ever After Theatre, and The Control Room (Riverside Theatres) for Beyond the Square.  She joined Can You See Me? Theatre in 2015, writing and performing for their production The Waiting Room at the Sydney Opera House.

In association with Pearly Productions and with support from Metro Screen's #Screenability program, she is developing her short film "I Am Not A Work Of Art". 

Like Emily's page and follow her work on Facebook.


Pencil portrait of actor in Seventeen

Sensorium Theatre's 'Oddysea'

This highly specialised, hands-on, interactive theatre experience for young people with disabilities arrives at Sydney Opera House on the Saturday 22 August.  Experience a tactile, hands-on story where touch, taste and smell are as important as sight and sound! Call +61 2 9250 7755 for more information and to book!

The performance is 75min long (including Q&A) will be in the Utzon Room, and is recommended for children 5 - 8 years of age. The audience size is limited to 14 children each session to ensure all the children’s needs are catered for.

Cost: One Child + One Free Carer $35

Additional Observer $35

More information found online at the Sydney Opera House event listing.


Featured | Arts + Disability Videos


Screenshot of Joanna Agius auslan video

Newsletter features in Auslan by Joanna Agius. If you missed the Deaf Arts News last week, then you can still read about current opportunities in the Deaf and hard of hearing community by clicking through to the Deaf Arts e-flyer.

Screenshot of one in five short film

"Pulse" is an independent Australian feature film about a gay disabled teenage boy, who changes into the body of a beautiful woman, so that he can be loved. A film by Daniel Monks, Stevie Cruz-Martin and Gemma Hall.

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