AAA Areas of work

Arts Access Australia has three main areas of work:

- Arts and Disability Network Development

Arts and Disability Network Development

With the launch of the Cultural Ministers Council National Arts and Disability Strategy in late 2009 Arts Access Australia will play a vital role in advocating for the resources to implement the strategies broad aims for the benefit of all individuals and organisations with an interest in arts and disability.

Arts Access Australia holds two annual national Face to Face meetings where arts and disability peak bodies and representatives from all States and Territories have the opportunity to meet one another, share strategies and resources and develop a collective agenda to inform our work.
Our State and Territory priority areas are the Northern Territory, Tasmania and the ACT. Arts Access Australia works closely with these members to influence Government priorities.

Nationally Significant Projects
Arts Access Australia's current projects include:

• A publication on the life and work of Central Australian artist Billy Benn Perrurle
• The development of arts and disability in East Timor through an Ausaid Australian Youth Ambassador for Development (AYAD) placement
• Research on adult prison art
• Research into access and heritage and access and performing arts and museums and galleries
• Publication of the first overview of Australian community arts and mental health policy, research and practice

Advocacy and Policy Development

Arts Access Australia is responsible for arts and disability sector advocacy which includes making policy submissions on behalf of its members, the Australian general public, and the arts and disability community.
Current advocacy issues include:
- Supporting the Cultural Ministers Council (CMC) implementation of the National Arts and Disability Strategy; and
- Identifying arts and cultural activity supported through Disability and Community Services portfolios and Health and Ageing portfolios.

Policy submissions are made on a variety of issues, and are available for download here:
National Cultural Policy Consultation Response (January 2010)
Response to DBCDE Media Access Review (January 2010)
Disability Action Plan - AAA Response to Australia Council Report (January 2010)
Response to closure of Arts Action Tasmania (December 2009)
Response to AHRC on cinema access exemption (December 2009)
Response to National Cultural Policy and Government Arts Statement - AAA to DEWHA (November 2009)
Australia Council Response to Disability Action Plan (October 2009)
Response to Arts Vision Discussion Paper - Arts Access Central Australia & Arts Access Darwin (May 2009)
Response to Australia Council and DEWHA artists employment issues survey (April 2009)
Disability Action Plan - AAA Response to Australia Council Report (April 2009)
Disability Action Plan - Australia Council Report to AAA (March 2009)
ABC Budget Letter (March 2009)
Draft Disability Standards for Access to Premises - Response to House of Representatives (Feb 2009)
ABS Industry Statistics Review Response (January 2009)
Resale Royalty Rights Response (January 2009)
ABC / SBS Toward a Digital Future Response (December 2008)
National Disability Strategy, Response to Discussion Paper (December 2008)
National Arts and Disability Strategy Response to CMC (November 2008)
Disability Employment Services Review Submission (October 2008)
National Disability Strategy, Arts and Disability Priority Areas, to NPWDACC (October 2008)
National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy Response (June 2008)

Arts Access Australia's advocacy role also includes the development of articles and papers for publications and journals, including:
Artwork, October 2007 :: The Art of Renewal
Artwork, October 2006 :: Responding to 'Capturing Cultural Value: How the arts have become a tool of government policy'
Artwork, June 2005 :: Nothing About Us Without Us: Disability, Arts and Activism
Artwork, December 2003 :: The Place of Disability in Arts, Health and Wellbeing

Looking for more information? Try our Links section.