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A head and shoulders image of a person however the person's entire head is covered in a paper tassels that are coloured red, green, white and yellow.

[Banner credit: Image promoting Sydney Festival 2018]


Newsletter October 2017


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

We're recruiting

Join the Accessible Arts team! We are on the lookout for casual trainers to help deliver our Disability Inclusion Training service.

We’re also recruiting for consultants to support the delivery of Disability Action Planning and Access services, which includes undertaking audits to help organisations improve their accessibility.

Logo for 'how can the show go on?' with an image of a loud speaker and an exaggerated question mark

How Can The Show Go On? 

Are you interested in the wellbeing of performing arts and screen workers in NSW? Don’t miss How Can the Show Go On at the Sydney Opera House on Monday 13 November.

This day-long summit will be bursting at the seams with case studies and examples of wellbeing support from across the sector and other industries. 

A man sits to the side against a brick wall. He has one hand on his opposite shoulder, part obscuring his face. He wears a black hat.

Free workshop with Bill Shannon

Facilitated by world-renowned artist Bill Shannon, this intensive workshop for artists with physical disability will explore individual movement patterns as the basis for a personal artistic language.

It is focused around creating in public spaces, for professional artists from any discipline interested in movement and choreographic practice.

A screenshot of woman standing against a sandstone wall. Wearing a black top, she is Auslan interpreting. The text underneath reads 'The Sydney Festival 2018 program'

Sydney Festival has launched!

The line up for Sydney Festival 2018 launched yesterday, with more Auslan interpreted and captioned shows than ever before! From Caberet and theatre to circus and comedy - there’s something for everyone. 

Find out details at the Festival website and check out a series of Auslan videos on their YouTube channel


News and views

Events and opportunities

  • How far has the Australian arts sector come since the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act, and how far do we have to go? This is what our CEO Morwenna Collett questioned in a feature for Equal Access, Equal Opportunity. Read her article on page 136. 
  • Here’s a handy list of organisations providing audio description, Auslan interpretation and captioning services in NSW. If you’d like to add your organisation to this please get in touch
  • The arts can be difficult to navigate at the best of times, but what if your particular challenges are invisible? This article in Arts Hub looks into the stigma around invisible illnesses, creativity and work.
  • Over the weekend we ran a stall at the Deaf Society’s Deaf Festival in Parramatta. Thousands of people came to see what was on offer for the Deaf Community in NSW and we were proud to share information about a huge range of accessible performances, movies and exhibitions from across Sydney. Thanks to all who stopped by and we hope to see you again next year! 
  • Do you know a talented child who lives with disability, chronic illness or financial hardship? Variety's scholarships are open to children aged 6 to 18 and are awarded up to $5,000 in the areas of education, sport and the arts. Applications close on 26 November.
  • The Department of Family and Community Services (FACS)’s Liveable Communities Grants program is open. The program funds innovative projects that help older people, people with disability and carers to live active, healthy lives and access their community freely and safely. Applications close 20 November. 
  • Voice talent, writers and composers wanted! A new radio series is being produced for Sydney's radio 2RPH. Producer Bryan Cutts is casting the lead character, a blind detective. Ideally this role will be played by an actor who is blind or has low vision. A script consultant or writer and a music composer are also sought and applications from people who are blind or have low vision are encouraged. Read more and get in touch via Bryan's website.
  • In the latest of our 'Meet the Team' series, we introduce Jane Easton, the Marketing and Communications Manager here at Accessible Arts. 
  • The Australia-Berlin Arts Exchange Project, organised by Arts Access Australia, concluded last week, but there's still time to pledge your support for the crowdfunding campaign to help meet costs for the eight Australian artists with disability who took part in it. 
  • We are compiling a listing of accessible art and cultural experiences across NSW for 2018. If you've got anything to contribute, whether it's exhibitions, courses, performances or something else, please fill in our 'what's on' form or drop us an email with details - don't forget to include a captioned photo.
Check our website for the latest arts and disability news.

  • 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 we are involved in, with the aim of making the arts across NSW more accessible. 
  • Our Accessing the Arts Group (ATAG) is a professional development group for artsworkers who are committed to improving access across the arts sector. It's free to join and is a fantastic networking opportunity. The next ATAG meeting is on Thursday 16 November from 8.30-10am at the MCA, with a great line up of speakers! 

  • Free workshop: My Art, My Way. This hands-on workshop in Sydney is open to artists living with disability who are looking to gain basic skills in documentation to reach new audiences.
  • Don’t miss Destiny - The Musical. In collaboration with SB2 Productions, Creative Arts at Mai-Wel have mentored artists with disability to create this inclusive, original musical theatre production. This arts project has been two years in the making and was funded by Accessible Arts and a NSW Delineate Arts Grant in 2016/2017. Wednesday 6 December, Cessnock Performing Arts Centre. 
  • Have you heard of Artstate? It's a new four-year project by Regional Arts NSW which will highlight excellence in regional arts practice across the state. It begins in Lismore from 30 November to 3 December with an exciting program of speakers exploring the themes of creative practice and creative partnerships.
  • Liveworks, a festival of Experimental Art from across Australia and the Asia Pacific, is on NOW at Carriageworks - till 29 October!
  • Access All Areas is a free film festival increasing access to cinema for people with disability. It's coming to New South Wales from 1 November to 26 January 2018 and will screen at accessible cinemas, schools, community centres and services. There’s even a program of short films made by children.
  • Seymour Centre and The Big Anxiety present Grace Under Pressure from 25 to 28 October. It's a show which weaves together the experiences of the health professionals that look after us. 
  • Artist Pipilotti Rist will give an Auslan interpreted talk at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia on Sunday 5 November from 1-2.30pm, reflecting on 30 years of making art.

  • Exploring Sex and Disability is a workshop providing a space for people with functional diversity and their friends, allies and supporters to learn about and explore sexuality. It brings together artists, disability activists and sex educators around this topic. Sunday 12 November in Darlinghurst, Sydney.
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.