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The Accessible Arts logo to the left of two images from our Deaf Artists' Residency at Bundanon: The residence in the evening with lights on against a darkening sky, and a close up of a workbench in the the studio of the late artist Arthur Boyd, with a pallet knife and bunches of dried flowers covered in paint.

[Banner credit: Images from our Deaf Artists' Residency at Bundanon. 

Newsletter September 2017

Kate Matairavula, Sofya Gollan (mentor) and Sue Jo Wright stand close together outside, smiling

Deaf Artists Residency

Last week three Deaf artists returned from a week-long residency for Deaf artists, which was hosted by Accessible Arts and Bundanon Trust. Three mentors who are also Deaf or hard of hearing were on hand to support and advise the artists during their residency.

Find out what they did, what they thought of it and how the experience will shape their work.

Side on view of a woman's face. She is wearing a cap and is against a pink background. Overlaid text reads: people + Science + Arts

The Big Anxiety Festival - ON NOW!

The Big Anxiety Festival has kicked off with a bang! The festival unites artists, scientists and communities to question and re-imagine the state of mental health in the 21st century.

With more than sixty events on offer across Sydney from 20 September to 11 November, it can be hard to know where to start. We compiled a list of some top picks.

Artist Sarah Houbolt crouches among what looks the large roots of a tree, with a smile on her face and her hands raised slightly. A video play button is centred on the image.

Crowdfund for Aussie Artists

Arts Access Australia is crowdfunding for a great cause! Here's your chance to help raise $20,000 to to send eight talented Australian artists with disability to Berlin.

They'll take centre stage at 'Meeting Place', part of the Australia-Berlin Arts Exchange Project, an international arts and disability festival that will showcase some of the best artists with disabilities from around the world in October.

Money raised will help provide support for the artists and cover access requirements like live captioning and braille facilities.

A room of 17 men and women during training, some standing, drinking coffee and chatting to one another, some sitting at tables

Disability Inclusion Training

Our next general Disability Inclusion Training session is on 3 November from 10am-12.30pm. This training will give you the confidence to welcome people with disability to your venue, provide inclusive experiences and make accessibility a natural and integrated part of what you do.

Training tailored specifically to your organisation can also be delivered at any time on request.

Places are limited so book your spot or get in touch if you have any questions.

News and views

Events and opportunities

  • We are looking for people with lived experience of disability to become Accessible Arts advisors, to work with us on projects relating to disability, access and the arts. As an advisor, we would draw on your expertise for various projects Accessible Arts is involved with the aim of making the arts across NSW more accessible. Depending on each project, Advisors may receive payment, travel support, free tickets and/or training opportunities.

  • Thanks once again to everyone who completed our survey and/or were interviewed recently as part of our sector consultation. Here's a summary of our initial findings. We're always after feedback so please continue to get in touch with us with your ideas.
  • Meet Liz, our new Arts Development Manager at Accessible Arts. Some of you may know her already as she plays an active role in the sector and is the Associate Producer of Hack Sounds, an inclusive entry point into the world of electronic music in Sydney. 
  • Last year John A Douglas was awarded the inaugural Artist with Disability Fellowship by Create NSW. John is a Sydney-based interdisciplinary artist working across video, performance, live art installation and photomedia. Create NSW caught up with him to find out how his Fellowship is coming along.
  • Ten artists from across Australia have been announced as the 2017 Sidney Myer Creative Fellows. The Fellowships recognise ‘outstanding talent and exceptional courage in mid-career artists’. We spoke with one artist, Genevieve Clay-Smith, and asked her how this grant was going to make a difference to her life and her work.  
  • International Deaf hip hop artist Sean Forbes was in Sydney last week for a one-off performance and youth workshop. Our Deaf Arts Officer Riona Tindal facilitated the workshop, here's what she had to say about it. 
  • When you visit a museum or gallery, what you’re seeing may be only part of the story. It can be just as important to be able to listen to audio to learn more about the display, the history and the artist. For the more than three million Australians who have hearing loss, that information often isn’t accessible. We spoke with Conexu Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation working to change that.
  • Did you know that each month the Deaf Society produces The Deaf Herald? It’s filled to the brim with Auslan videos containing news and views on all types of topics, and includes a segment from Accessible Arts. 
  • Un-label is an international project made up of 100 artists from all over Europe, who work on inclusive and innovative ways of performing arts. Together they have produced this manual, which is bursting with information including tips for inclusive arts practice and criteria for dismantling barriers around disability.
  • A team from the UK's Unlimited went to Edinburgh Fringe this year and have written up a these top tips for anyone thinking of attending in the future.
Check our website for the latest arts and disability news.
  • Don't forget to sign up for our last Accessing the Arts Group (ATAG) meeting for the year, which is on Thursday 16 November from 8.30-10am. ATAG is a free professional development group that is dedicated to improving disability access and social inclusion. Any artist or arts worker is welcome to join us. 
  • Sydney Dance Company’s pilot program Make Your Move is an exciting new initiative for adults with mobility restrictions who want to dance. Taking place at Sydney Dance Company Studios from Thurs 5 October 2017 for eight weeks, these weekly dance sessions will get participants moving, making and participating in contemporary dance.
  • Kaldor Public Art Projects presents The Last Resort, an installation by artist Anri Sala at Sydney’s Observatory Hill from 13 October to 5 November. Visitors will encounter a gravity-defying ensemble of drums which give a rhythmic response to Sala’s interpretation of Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto. Anri will also give a free, Auslan-interpreted talk on Saturday 14 October. 
  • Undercover Artist Festival, the first arts and disability festival of its kind, takes place at Queensland Theatre, Brisbane on 13 and 14 October. The festival features theatre, dance and performances, installation art and more. Accessible Arts is conveying a panel discussion at the festival and we hope to see you there!
  • The full program of events for Sydney Festival 2018 will be launched in October. However a few shows have launched early! One of them, RIOT, will be Auslan interpreted. Get in now to be sure you don’t miss out and keep your eye out for the full line up of Auslan interpreted performances next month. 
  • GU Film House Cronulla, with support from St Vinnies Ability Links, now screens a movie with open captions every second Sunday. This Sunday's movie is Hampstead, at 11am. Stay up-to-date with screenings by liking the GU Film Cronulla Facebook page. 
  • Campbelltown Arts Centre invites you to visit Little Orange Open Studios during Sydney Craft Week (6 - 15 October). Little Orange is a progressive studio for ten emerging Western Sydney artists with disability. Come along on Friday 6 and 13 October between to meet the artists and discuss their practice over a cup of tea!
  • During The Big Anxiety Festival the MCA will host dis/ordered, a moving exploration of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder by Clive Parkinson. The performance on 27 September will be Auslan interpreted.
  • ‘How Can The Show Go On’ is a one-day summit to raise awareness, share information, and generate cross-industry action around the wellbeing of performing arts and screen workers in NSW. It's on at the Sydney Opera House on 13 November.
  • The City of Sydney is seeking expressions of interest from people wishing to join the City's Inclusion (Disability) Advisory Panel. The panel provides advice on improving inclusion for people with disability. They are seeking five new members to join in 2018. 
Submit your upcoming event or opportunity to Accessible Arts for promotion. 

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Accessible Arts is assisted by the NSW Government through Arts NSW and Family and Community Services.

Accessible Arts Level 3 | The Arts Exchange 10 Hickson Road The Rocks | Sydney | NSW | 2000 info@aarts.net.au | +61 2 9251 6499.