Arts Access Australia
Annual Report
for 1 July 2004 – 30 June 2005 (Part 1)
Bibi Bulak (Crazy Goat) Theatre Banner with (left to right)
Annie Sloman and Arts Access Australia Hamutuk workers Guida de Freitas
and Zoe Scrogings. Annie Sloman is an Australian volunteer working in
East Timor with Bibi Bulak.
Ahisaun workshop participants singing a popular love song.
The participants devised, shot and edited a short film of themselves playing
and singing the song in Tetum. Ahisaun is a residential, recreation and
capacity building service for people with disabilities (primarily polio
survivors) in Dili. Ahisaun has about 15 residents and young people with
disabilities from the surrounding neighbourhood also access the programs
run by Ahisaun including creativity and self-expression.
Arts Access Australia Members
Arts Access Australia is:
Arts Access Australia
C/O Accessible Arts
Pier 4, The Wharf Hickson Rd
Walsh Bay NSW 2000
tel 02 9251 6844 fax 02 9251 6422
www.artsaccessaustralia.org
Accessible Arts
Pier 4, The Wharf
Hickson Rd
Walsh Bay NSW 2000
tel 02 9251 6499 fax 02 9251 6422
www.aarts.net.au
DADAA WA
arts@dadaawa.asn.au
21 Beach St
PO Box 1080
Fremantle WA 6160
tel 08 9430 6616 fax 08 9336 4008
Arts Access
24 Eastern Rd
South Melbourne VIC 3205
tel 03 9699 8299 fax 03 9699 8868
TTY 03 9699 7636
www.artsaccess.com.au
Arts Ability ACT Officers
(previously: Disability and Disadvantage Arts Officers)
DDAO@artsrec.org.au
Level 1 North building, 180 London Circuit
Canberra ACT 2601
PO Box 992
Civic Square ACT 2608
tel 02 6247 1882 fax 02 6247 8859
Arts in Action
101 Halifax St
Adelaide SA 5000
tel 08 8224 0799 fax 08 8224 0709
www.artsinaction.asn.au
Access Arts
PO Box 1034
Level 1 Stores Building
Brisbane Powerhouse
119 Lamington Drive
New Farm QLD 4005
tel 07 3358 6200 fax 07 3358 6211
www.accessarts.org.au
Arts Action
mtaylor@gcc.tas.gov.au
C/- Moonah Arts Centre
65 Hopkin St
Moonah TAS 7009
tel 03 6214 7633
Arts Access Central Australia
aaca@ozemail.com.au
C/ - InCite Youth Arts
tel / fax 08 8952 6338
PO Box 3491
Alice Springs NT 0871
Arts Access Darwin
artsaccess@brownsmart.com.au
Browns Mart Community Arts
Cnr Smith St and Harry Chan Ave
GPO Box 2429
Darwin NT 0801
tel 08 8981 5522 fax 08 8941 3222
Arts Access Australia Associate Members
The following organisations are Associate Members of Arts Access Australia:
Club Wild
www.clubwild.net/
Restless Dance Company
www.restlessdance.org/
Arts Project Australia
www.artsproject.org.au/
Back to Back Theatre
www.backtobacktheatre.com/
The Awakenings Festival
www.awakenings.horsham.net.au/
Karingallery
www.karingal.org.au/services/Community_Living/default.asp
Junction House Inc
http://home.iprimus.com.au/junctionhouse/
National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA)
www.visualarts.net.au/home/default.asp
International Affiliates
Arts Access Aotearoa (New Zealand)
www.artsaccess.org.nz/
VSA Arts (USA)
www.vsarts.org/
Arts Access Australia - Executive Director's report
With one full timer, and no other staff, the work of Arts Access Australia
in 2004/05 continued to be a delicate balancing act of time and limited
resources across the following areas:
- Government
- Access and Advocacy
- International
- Regional
- Arts Access Australia Network
GOVERNMENT
The Australia Council for the arts had a Disability Action Plan that
expired in late 2003. Throughout 2004 Australia Council staff attended
an Arts Access Australia Board meeting and negotiated a triennial funding
agreement without making any clear commitment at a strategic or policy
level to Arts and Disability across Council. Arts Access Australia wrote
to Council outlining our concerns on International Day of People With
a Disability (3 December) then a week later Council announced a major
restructure that didn't mention disability.
Within tight consultation time lines around the restructure and with
the lack of response to our letters, meetings and input to the restructure
consultation process Arts Access Australia made the difficult decision
to go public with our concerns. We received support encouraging the Australia
Council to include people with disabilities in their plans from Artspeak,
the National Arts and Culture Alliance, SANE Australia, NICAN, the Australian
Federation of Disability Organisations and a host of other individuals
and organisations. Arts Access Australia is extremely grateful for this
display of support and believe it was instrumental in prompting an April
2005 commitment from Australia Council Chair David Gonski that:
In the new structure, Community Partnerships will oversee support for
the
Council's arts and disability activities. This will include:
- An evaluation of the Council's 2000-03 Disability Action Plan, and
proposed strategic direction.
- Triennial funding of Arts Access Australia, plus Company Development
Program
funds.
- Coordination and implementation of access strategies across the Council.
Arts Access Australia spent the remainder of 2004/05 working with Council
on the Community Partnerships review process and looks forward to commencing
discussions in 2005/06 with Council to progress their commitments to Arts
and Disability.
ACCESS AND ADVOCACY
Publications
Arts Access Australia;
- Was commissioned to write an article on Disability, Art and Activism
for Artwork
Magazine published in June
- Secured $15,000 in Family and Community Services funding towards
the publication
- Making The Journey: Arts and Disability in Australia due
for launch in late 2005
- Published two e-news bulletins to a subscriber base of just under
3,000
- Continued to write an irregular online column for Artshub called
Access All Areas.
Companion Card
The Companion Card started in Victoria as an arts ticketing initiative
and has since grown to include a range of other services where card holders
are not required to pay an admission fee for their companion who is providing
attendant care. Arts Access Australia promoted the companion card to ACROD
NSW who, as a result, facilitated discussion at a national level within
ACROD and they are now supporting the roll out of the card in other States
and Territories. See www.companioncard.org.au
Advocacy
Arts Access Australia;
- Provided a response to a Department of Communication, Information
Technology and the Arts (DCITA) review on Indigenous television noting
the potential benefits to
Indigenous wellbeing and education initiatives
- Joined the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations Disability
and
Participation Alliance seeking to influence the Federal government's
welfare to work
proposals. This included a forum with Minister Kevin Andrews in Canberra
in June.
See www.afdo.org.au
- Is a founding member of the Confederation of Humanities Arts and Social
Sciences
(CHASS), a body established to represent the interest of the sectors
to government. See www.chass.org.au
- Is a member of Artspeak, an affiliation of national arts service
organisations, and
worked to respond to the Australia Council for the arts restructure
- Is a founding member on the Interim Committee of the National Arts
and Culture
Alliance and worked to respond to the dissolution of the Community Cultural
Development Board as part of the Australia Council restructure. See
www.naca.org.au
- Attended the 2005 Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) convention
in Alice Springs with a focus in Indigenous wellbeing and, following
an approach from ACOSS, identified and facilitated the participation
of Steve Widders from the National Indigenous Disability Network in
the convention.
Audience Development Project
With support from the then Audience and Market Development Division (now
Community Partnerships and Market Development) of the Australia Council
Arts Access Australia contracted Cheryle Yin-Lo to work on a national
disability access and audience development research project.
Cheryle has developed two surveys for museums and galleries and performing
arts. These surveys have been distributed electronically and at an Australia
Council e-marketing forum in Adelaide and the Museums Australia conference
in Sydney. Survey results, reports and recommendations will be completed
in 2005/06.
Arts Access Australia was also invited and supported by the Australian
Performing Arts Centres Association (APACA) to present a session on access
at their national conference in Brisbane in September.
Outsider Art
Arts Access Australia has noted the growth in visual arts and disability
studios around Australia and investigated the development of a national
touring exhibition surveying current practice. Our planning uncovered
two exhibitions in development in the ACT and VIC with a potential third
in Tasmania so we are now supporting these existing project ideas.
International
East Timor
Arts Access Australia secured support from the now defunct Community
Cultural Development Board of the Australia Council to develop the Hamutuk
(connections) cultural project with East Timorese disability organisations.
Planning is well advanced for the project to take place in July 2005 and
included Arts Access Australia presenting a paper on the project at the
Transformations conference in the ACT in February and Melbourne meetings
with potential project partners in May.
Austrade USA
The Los Angeles office of Austrade approached Arts Access Australia to
promote a visual arts and craft marketing initiative for Australian artists
interested in the USA arts market. Arts Access Australia successfully
promoted the project to the Indigenous ANKAAA and DESART networks and
also facilitated the involvement of professional arts and disability studio
Arts Project Australia.
Regional
Tasmania
Arts Access Australia worked to support Tasmanian Regional Arts in successfully
seeking funding from the Tasmanian Community Support Levy for the ArtAbility
arts and disability exhibition due to open in late 2005. Arts Access Australia
also;
- supported and participated in Arts Action strategic planning, the
development of a
position description and then advertising for an artsworker.
- supported public liability insurance for Arts Action
- reworked and unsuccessfully resubmitted a Tasmanian Community Fund
application
- participated in a review of Tasmanian Regional Arts
- signed off on Memorandums of Understanding with Glenorchy City Council
and
Tasmanian Regional Arts confirming their support for Arts Action
Northern Territory
- Arts Access Darwin
Penny Campton commenced work with Arts Access Darwin supported by Darwin
City council and Browns Mart Community Arts Centre. Penny has been very
active and Arts Access Australia provided advice to support plans for
Disability Awareness Week as part of the Darwin Festival and International
Day of People With a Disability activities.
- Arts Access Central Australia
Arts Access Australia provided advice and support for the development
of Arts Access Central Australia (AACA), based in Alice Springs, to pick
up the threads of the 2003/04 Mapping New Territory project. InCite youth
arts have agreed to support AACA to work across all ages, established
a local reference committee and applied to Alice Springs Town Council
and Arts NT for funding.
ARTS ACCESS AUSTRALIA NETWORK
Face to Face meeting / Awakenings Festival
The annual Arts Access Australia Face to Face meeting was held in Horsham,
north-west Victoria, to coincide with the Awakenings Festival and Regional
Arts Australia Meeting Place conference. Through Family and Community
Services we were able to secure funding to provide access services and
for more people with disabilities, including the Northern Territory and
a young Indigenous artsworker from North Queensland, to participate in
both the Face to Face meeting and Awakenings Festival.
Business Planning
Early in 2005, with the support of the Australia Council, Arts Access
Australia commenced a business planning process that revised and clarified
our purpose leading to a mission statement, values and outcome areas that
better reflects the needs and aspirations of people with disabilities
and the work we do. This process was led by Deb Michels of RPR consulting.
See www.rprconsulting.com.au
Our new Mission Statement, Values and Outcome Areas are:
Mission Statement
Arts Access Australia is the national non-Government organisation working
to increase cultural inclusion of the one in five Australians with a disability
and those who are at risk of acquiring a disability.
Arts Access Australia's work reflects the World Health Organisation International
Classification on Health and Functioning by promoting wellbeing and the
social model of disability and health.
Values
Arts Access Australia believes that
• Everyone has innate creative ability
• It is a human right to have access to cultural opportunities
• Art created by people with a disability makes a unique contribution
to the cultural life of Australia
• Cultural inclusion can be an effective means of achieving social
change with a positive impact on health and wellbeing
• Our work is more effective when cooperating rather than competing
with arts sector and disability sector stakeholders
• Improving access benefits the whole community
5 year plan 05/06 – 09/10 Outcome areas
- The arts and disability sector is supported across government arts
portfolios and
disability portfolios
- The distinctiveness of Australian arts and disability culture/s is
widely recognised
within Australia and Internationally
- The Arts Access Australia network is a strong and unified voice for
the growth and development of arts and disability practice
- The Australian arts sector and disability sector sees arts and disability
as part of their core business
Another outcome of this process is a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU)
between State/Territory members and Arts Access Australia that seeks to
describe and strengthen the nature of our network at an organisational
level.
PRO BONO ASSISTANCE
In achieving our aims Arts Access Australia is very fortunate to have
secured Pro Bono assistance across legal and compliance issues.
Freehills successfully gained Arts Access Australia Public Benevolent
Institution status and continue to provide advice on Trade Marking the
Arts Access Australia name and logo.
Hoholt Financial Consulting continued to provide all of Arts Access Australia's
audited financial statements and related advice.
As part of the business planning process RPR Consulting provided some
hours at a reduced rate.
These commercial services are of a calibre and value that Arts Access
Australia could not otherwise afford.
Arts Access Australia is also supported from within our own network and
thank you to the Board and staff of Accessible Arts NSW who continue to
provide office space at a reduced rate.
Lastly thank you to the Board of Arts Access Australia for their support
during a busy year and in particular the Chairs Nicole Beyer and Jayne
Boase.
Gareth Wreford
Executive Director
Arts Access Australia
Arts Access Australia - Chairperson's report
2004/05 has been a remarkably big year for Arts Access Australia. We
developed a new five year Strategic Plan, had our annual Face to Face
meeting in Horsham, regional Victoria, established a significant Memorandum
of Understanding between the national and state/territory peak arts and
disability organisations, supported the establishment of a part time position
in Tasmania and managed to achieve all this in a rapidly changing national
arts climate.
Arts Access Australia's new five year Strategic Plan was developed with
the valuable assistance of Deb Michels from RPR Consulting. The Australia
Council supported us in this process which lead to the collaborative development
of the new strategic blueprint to drive the national advocacy body through
the next five year period. All directors attended the intensive planning
sessions held in Sydney, and contributed to the new strategic vision for
Arts Access Australia, including the development of an updated Mission
Statement and documentation of the core values underpinning our work.
I am very proud of the final document. I was present at the drafting
of the previous strategic plan of the then DADAA network and the huge
differences I witnessed in these two processes are reflective of the enormous
changes in the arts and creative sectors over the past five years. Arts
Access Australia is well positioned to thrive in this environment and
is fortunate to enjoy strong representation of highly experienced and
regarded arts and disability directors. I am confident that the four outcomes
articulated in Arts Access Australia's new five year Strategic Plan will
best position the organisation to improve access to the arts for the 1
in 5 Australians with experience of disability, and in the recognition
of the unique creative contribution people with disabilities make to the
arts. I am particularly excited by Outcome 2 which states 'The distinctiveness
of Australian arts and disability culture/s is widely recognised within
Australia and Internationally' and believe the development of an uniquely
Australian sense of disability culture/s, that is, not one borrowed or
modelled on the USA or UK, is quintessentially an Australian thing to
do. Identity politics can be a mine field which is why it is imperative
that Australians with experience of disability are the ones who determine
and develop our own tangible sense of Australian disability culture/s,
of course this will be influenced by our overseas colleagues but not mirror
their identity/politics, we need our own voices/stories to shine through.
The new Strategic Plan clearly articulates the growing need for Arts
Access Australia to facilitate a much stronger relationship with federal
body Families and Community Services, who are key partners in much of
the funded services and supports for Australians with disabilities. Arts
Access Australia has held meetings with other federal government departments
and now must also build on these relationship. Our relationship with the
Australia Council remains strong and their acceptance of Arts Access Australia's
5 Year Strategic Plan without alteration is evidence of the alignment
between the two. The articulation of a Disability Policy and Action Plan
on the part of the Australia Council is a challenge that lies ahead of
the network as is the fallout that may arise in the arts and disability
sector when the final results of the new Community Partnerships restructure
are clearer.
The Memorandum of Agreement developed in this period heralds a new era
in the network. It formalises the relationship of each of the state/territory
peak arts and disability organisations with the national body, Arts Access
Australia. This is the first time that such a document has existed and
has come about as a result of the fine camaraderie, respect and support
that I have witnessed amongst my fellow directors in this term. The sharing
of resources, mentoring, professional support, dedication to the national
network, and commitment to effect positive change for our sector are common
throughout the network. With improved technology the ease with which to
communicate and 'meet' will become far more accessible improving regional,
state and national rapport and enhancing the capacity and value of national
networks, the Memorandum of Agreement will be a cornerstone to the future
relationships.
The Face to Face meeting held at Horsham in regional Victoria coincided
with the Awakenings Regional Disability Arts Festival and Regional Arts
Australia's National Conference Meeting Place. This was a fabulous opportunity
for the network and an extraordinarily stimulating setting in which to
meet. The effort for full representation of all directors, and frequently
Chairpersons and or other state/territory staff at our annual Face to
Face meetings is continually evident, and is part of what makes the network
so strong and sustaining.
I must acknowledge with very special thanks of our previous Chairperson
Nicole Beyer, who performed brilliantly throughout her term. Nicole had
an innate ability to bring out the best in everyone, her open honesty
and integrity along with a wealth of experience left a strong legacy indeed.
Nicole was passionate about maintaining a strategic balance with as much
energy directed at forward thinking as compliance. Her commitment and
contribution to Arts Access Australia is warmly remembered.
Arts Access Australia is very fortunate that their only staff member,
Executive Director Gareth Wreford, brings extensive experience, has great
capacity and the vision to carry the network forward. Gareth provides
the primary information and advocacy programs across the country whilst
maintaining close working links with federal stakeholders. He continues
to build the network by underpinning sector development in Tasmania and
the
Northern Territory and was instrumental in the development of the new
Strategic Plan. Many and sincere thanks and appreciation to Gareth for
his unstinting good humour, intelligence, and capabilities. The sum of
the network is far greater than the total of the individuals and much
of this is due to Gareth's organisational, management, and strategic abilities.
Accessible Arts in Sydney have kindly hosted the Arts Access Australia
office for many years now and this support is valued and very much appreciated.
My warm thanks to each of my co-directors who ensure a truly national
voice is reflected in the Governance of the network. Each of you has contributed
in one significant way or another to the development of the new Strategic
Plan, as well as participating in the meetings throughout the year and
being active network members. It would be remiss of me not to also sincerely
express my thanks to our stakeholders for their ongoing support.
Jayne Boase
Chair Arts Access Australia
DADAA WA Report
Firstly I take this opportunity to acknowledge DADAAWA’s greatest
asset, it’s staff, which bring to the company an incredible diversity,
breadth of expertise and deep commitment to the communities in which they
work. All are pushed to meet the increasing demand for Arts and Disability
services from across the State and I thank them for their great support
and their great commitment to the communities in which DADAA works across
WA.
Over the year DADAA’S staff provided direct services to 1,700 people
with an experience of disabilities and or mental illness, through 62 projects
which were delivered across 46 West Australian communities. Serviced 17
regional WA communities, travelling up and down the State at such a rate
of knots that at times it was difficult to know which town they were in.
The 2004 / 2005 Financial year was a time of big decisions, service expansion
and increasing demand for the services of DADAAWA from across the State.
In collaboration with the Disability Services Commission staff undertook
a consultancy into DSC funded services in Broome, initiating a five-year
organizational focus on new regional programs within the Kimberly.
We look forward to a greatly expanded focus on regional service development
with the creation of two new regional positions. With Jan Kapetas beginning
her role as Coordinator or the Northern Exposure project on the 1st December
2004 and Wendy Robertson DADAA’s 1st Regional Project Officer who
picked up the regional reins in February 2005.
Personally it was a time to ponder a shift in role, as I supported the
transition post the resignation of Val Shiell, who until the end of May
2005 had provided strong leadership to us all over the last eleven years
in her various roles as Executive Director, Chairperson and member of
DADAAWA’s Committee of Management.
Val brought to DADAAWA a passion for the Arts, Disability and Health
sectors, her knowledge of the sector extending back to 1968 is expansive
and I thank her on behalf of staff for the many hours that she spent with
us sharing her knowledge, skill and passion for the Arts and Disability.
That in the end has resulted in the organization that you see before today,
spread across:
- 46 WA communities;
- Providing direct serviced to over 1.700 West Australians with disabilities
and or mental illness per year;
- 17 regional and remote WA communities from Broom in the north to
Albany in the
South;
- Firmly based across the disparate sectors in which DADAAWA’s
is positioned, the Arts, Community Development, Disability and Health.
At the close of the 2004/ 05 Financial year DADAAWA has again experienced
significant growth, in response the diversity of service demand that the
organization continues to experience from across the State.
The key drivers on DADAAWA’s growth stem from, an increased awareness
of and valuing of Arts and Disability as a tool for individual and social
change, within Government, NGOS across the Health and Disability sector
and increasingly within small often isolated regional WA communities.
DADAAWA is now in a position to demonstrate the tangible outcomes that
result from through the companies approach to Arts and Disability practice,
which include:
- Arts Development;
- Capacity building;
- Community connectedness;
- Respite;
- Enterprise;
- Training.
Yet continues to struggle without funds to support the core administration
functions. After eleven years of operation the distinct lack of core untied
administration funding has resulted in the historical deficit that DADAAWA
carriers at the conclusion of the financial year 04 / 05.
Over the coming months staff and the Committee of Management will begin
the process of engaging the organization’s stakeholders in discussions
to resolve this issue, which continues to impact negatively on the long-term
viability of DADAAWA’s operations.
Finance Manager Sylvia Hannon Brown joined the team in September 04 over
a relatively short time, Sylvia has made a significant contribution to
the development and implementation of compliance mechanisms and financial
management systems, I thank her for her ongoing dedication to the management
of DADAA’s finances.
DADAA’s Administrator Michelle Treasure plays an increasingly critical
role within DADAAWA, Michelle acts as the primary communication point
between core staff in head office and the many satellite program located
across the State. The level of operational support provided by Michelle
to all staff, the Committee of Management, program participants and partners
is significant, playing a critical part in filling the communication gaps
that can exist in an organization as spread as DADAA.
On top of fulfilling this function Michelle Administrates the operational
functions of DADAA. On behalf of staff and program participants I would
particularly like to thank Michelle for her support.
On the program front DADAAWA employees over sixty arts workers and support
workers who worked across sixty two individual programs, taking prime
responsibility for these programs has Manager’s and Coordinators,
Simone Flavelle Manager of Ageing and Disability, Denise Boywer Manager
ATE & HaCC Funded services, Chris Williams Coordinator FREIGHT GALLERY
and Arts Development, David Giles Coordinator FOCUS RECREATION, Marilyn
Dreaver Coordinator North, Jan Kapetas Coordinator Northern Exposure,
Wendy Robertson Regional Project Officer and Emma Pannell Coordinator
South.
DADAA’s Team of Managers and Staff all of whom bar one, Chris Williams
work in part time capacity take on the difficult task of driving complex
largely hybrid programs. The combined community development, arts development,
disability and health focused of DADAA’s core services are demanding,
requiring careful navigation by key staff, all of whom work over and above
their base conditions week after week to ensure that a high level of service
excellence is achieved
I’d particularly like to acknowledge Simone Flavelle who with her
staff and project partners has broken new ground in the development of
multi arts, training and recreation programs around the needs of people
who are ageing with disability. This exciting new area of service delivery
has grown in response to the ageing of people with a disability, the decrease
in supported employment programs and limited social participation options
available to this section of our community. Simone is driving a huge program
that offers great potential for people with disabilities as they age.
Wendy Robertson and Jan Kapetas now head up DADAA’s regional programs
and take on the logistical issues faced in regional service delivery in
WA. Managing programs from Broome in the north of the State to Albany
in the South and out to the Western Desert in the east. Supporting the
arts development needs of regional WA communities requires huge dedication
to job, the communities in which they work and the partnerships that develop
around these communities. I thank Jan and Wendy for getting highly responsive
Arts and Disability programs out into the regions.
DADAAWA is committed to long term engagement with the communities in
which it works, working to ensure that all programs are in the end locally
governed, sustained, staffed and owned by regionally based communities
across the State. I thank the many regionally based individuals and organizations
across WA who in the 2003/04 year volunteered their time and resources
towards the development of these programs.
Chris Williams and his team have driven the FREIGHT Gallery project and
Arts Development programs, all of which have resulted in vastly increased
audience development initiatives and greater access for artists with an
experience of mental illness to access the arts development programs.
FREIGHT ‘s regular exhibition program has greatly increased the
profile of DADAAWA and importantly provided a market for artists with
disabilities who have enjoyed excellent sales, its’ fantastic to
have the Fremantle building now open seven days week and new audiences
flowing through the building.
Children’s and Young People’s Project Coordinators Emma Pannell
and Marilyn Dreaver continue to provide innovative arts programs targeted
to the developmental needs of School ages Children with disabilities and
their able bodied siblings, ensuring that young people with disabilities
gain access to the arts as a means for exploring technology, movement,
music and community arts, build fine motor skills and participate in team
learning environment. The Artlink programs have provided families and
carers of children with disabilities with literally hundreds of hours
of respite. In addition Marilyn and Emma have worked hard to implement
DADAA’s ATE programs – Integrate Arts, Alternative to Employment
programs, designed to provide people with disabilities with a meaningful
alternative to work, through community access, skills development, formal
learning and life skills.
In closing I would like to publicly acknowledge the great impact DADAAWA
has received through it’s new status as a Key Organizational of
the Australia Council for the Arts, which leads DADAAWA to annual Funding
on a Triennial Basis ensures that the practices of DADAAWA remain firmly
grounded community cultural development.
David Doyle
Acting Executive Director
Arts Ability Officers ACT Report
Disability Arts Festival
Garema Place in the Heart of Canberra City was the venue for the First
Canbera Disability Arts Festival. The event was inclusive and featured
the inaugural City Heart disAbility Art Prize, an art and craft market,
a digital art screening, performances and awards. Arts and Recreation
Training ACT managed the event with funding from Disability Act in partnership
with PWDACT.
WebAbility
With ACE (Adult Community Education) funding Photoaccess hosted webAbility,
a website development course for people with disabilities. At Photoaccess
on 3 September, MP Annette Ellis officially launched the website, which
will be hosted for two years by Photoaccess and Spitfire. The WebAbility
program was developed by Arts Ability officer Sue Riley and Photoaccess
Programs Manager Ed Whalen and was a finalist in the 2005 Adult and Community
Education Awards.
Visit the site at www.webability.photoaccess.org.au
Newsletter
In 2005, Arts Ability launched a newsletter promoting participation in
inclusive and accessible arts activities in Canberra. Each issue contains
information, stories and profiles an artist from the Canberra disability
community.
Exhibitions Facilitated by Arts Ability
Canberra’s Painting for Parkinson’s group has been invited
to exhibit in Melbourne for the 5th Asia Pacific Parkinson’s Disease
Association Conference.
Photo media artists Jenny Heckendorf and Lee Ann Proberts will be exhibiting
during diversity week at the University of Wolongong.
Print Safe, Print Well
A Healthpact Grant was awarded to Megalo to conduct a print workshop for
six disabled artists, in all forms of printing, to be followed by an exhibition
in April 2006. It is still a work in progress. Clients are really enjoying
the workshop and one client says that ‘it is a gift’.
Project Grants Pending
ArtsACT: Arts Ability Mentorship, Arts Abilty Percussion Instrument Development
Project, The Front - arts Ability Residency
Community Partnerships: No Waste Design Residency Project.
Sue Riley and Ann McMahon
ACT Arts Ability Officers
Arts In Action SA Report
This year has been an exciting and challenging one for Arts in Action,
one in which it is true to say the organisation came of age. With new
directions being forged, the year sees Arts in Action positioned better
than ever to serve and support the community.
Reins, Rope & Red Tape.
A new and significant project, Reins, Rope & Red Tape (RRRT) is a
CCD-based mentorship initiative that aims to see participants empowered
as a new generation of disability rights activists. Under the guidance
of four mentors, participants “take the reins”, “learn
the ropes” and “negotiate the red tape” regarding issues
of importance to them.
Having commenced in early 2005, RRRT will continue as a two-year project
creating a forum for activism using the arts as a catalyst for enquiry,
critical analysis and positive strategic action. A resource will be produced
for use by other people interested in disability activism and the arts
while the project itself will be documented and evaluated, ultimately
contributing to a growing body of knowledge and experience.
Club C.
Now in its eleventh year, our ongoing monthly music and dance event Club
C continued to attract very pleasing audiences as well as showcasing the
talents of emerging artists with and without a disability. The quality
of artists performing at Club C has been of a consistently high calibre
throughout the year and performers continue to approach Arts in Action
for the possibility of appearing at the monthly event. Many thanks must
go to Club C Coordinator Claire Thackray for her commitment to this long-running
and valued part of the Adelaide music calendar.
Big Country Choir.
Arts in Action’s regional initiative, based around communities in
the lower and mid-north of SA, the Big Country Choir (BCC) has gone from
strength to strength. A partnership between Arts in Action and Lower North
Health, BCC works with an integrated and inclusive model based upon CCD
practice. Under the direction of lead artist Pat Rix, the choir has grown
and developed into a true expression of regional South Australia. The
Big Country Choir performed at the 2005 Bundaleer Forest Weekend, on a
bill featuring Teddy Tahu Rhodes and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
Pathways.
The Pathways visual arts workshops, a partnership between Arts in Action
and Community Bridging Services, have run successfully for over six years.
The workshops were geared towards people with disabilities who had identified
visual arts as a serious pursuit. At its peak, during 2004-5, the Pathways
program was running four workshops per week in various metropolitan locales,
with eight-ten participants in each. Funding for the program becoming
harder to source, it was decided in mid-2005 by both partners that the
program had run its course and was concluded at the end of 2005. The program
outcomes have included a number of professional exhibitions of works shown
at Artspace at the Adelaide Festival Centre as well as Pepper Street Gallery
at Magill. Our warm thanks go to all who made this highly successful program
what it was, particularly Freddie Brincat, John Foubister, Chris Burford
and Lyn Elzinga-Henry.
Organisational Restructure.
Beginning in late 2004, Arts in Action began the long and often difficult
process of complete organisational restructure. With the assistance of
Gabrielle Kelly of Archangel Australia, a new, exciting and visionary
five-year business plan has been developed that will see the organisation
breaking new ground in the areas of research, training and resource development.
As part of this, High Beam has been closely examined and also reinvented.
Using a partnership/audience development approach, High Beam will become
a celebration of the arts that comes from the community, rather than being
imposed upon it.
Jayne Boase
Executive Officer
Arts In Action
Accessible Arts NSW Report
This year has been one of growth and change for the organization as can
be seen in the following report.
Training and presentations
Training continues to be a sougth after service and included sessions
for: Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Opera House (in preparation for Club Wild),
Sydney Theatre Company (box office and front-of-house staff) and Museum
of Contemporary Art (MCA art educators running the Bella workshops).
Presentations given included: Museums Australia Training Day, High Beam
Arts and Disability Festival - Adelaide, Intimate Encounters Forums -
Alice Springs & Darwin, International Day of People with a Disability
Reference Group - Disability Council, Sydney Arts Management Advisory
Group (SAMAG).
International Day of People with a Disability (IDPWD)
The IDPWD format was expanded in 2004 following negotiations with the
Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care (DADHC) to act as the funding
and umbrella agency for the whole project. There was a 100 per cent increase
in regional events in 2004, with successful local outcomes.
Performing Arts Research
A discussion paper and series of recommendations regarding ticketing and
seating issues affecting people with disabilities accessing the performing
arts was developed by the ADO. Also developed was an information paper
regarding the use of sign language interpretation in the performing arts.
The National front
AArts continues to host AAA and provide the space and administration infrastructure
support for the National Director and Administration Assistant. The Consulting
Director and ADO attended the Awakenings Festival and National Regional
Arts Festival in Horsham, Victoria, in Ocotber 2004 as part of AArts’
involvement with AAA.
Arts Studio
Funding from the NSW Ministry for the Arts enabled Cheryle Yin-Lo to prepare
a report into the feasibility and best models for the development of an
art studio for people with disabilities (focusing on professional and
employment outcomes, rather than a respite model).
Intimate Encounters
Accessible Arts successfully applied to Visions of Australia for a touring
grant to take Intimate Encounters throughout Australia, with a particular
emphasis on regional and rural Australia. The tour will run from 2004
until.
In 2004 Intimate Encounters was exhibited at the following venues: Charles
Darwin University, Alice Springs; June Tapp Art Space, Katherine; Top
Coins Gallery, Darwin; Caloundra Cultural Centre; Coffs Harbour City Gallery;
Geraldton Regional Art Gallery, Bunbury Regional Art Gallery.
AArts’ involvement in this project has significantly increased
the organisation’s profile, especially outside of NSW. The ADO developed
an Education Kit for the exhibition, which has been used in every gallery
participating in the tour.
Regional development
AArts continued its consultative role with Tweed Shire Council on the
delivery of the two-year program of activities and its aim to bring together
arts industry professionals, regional service providers and the disability
community in the exploration and expansion of the boundaries of difference
and creative possibility.
Policy Development
AArts worked with Arts Access Victoria to look at the process of the development
of the Victorian Companion Card; this will help inform the research and
development of carers policies and identification in NSW. Research has
also been undertaken into comparable existing Australian and overseas
programs.
Operational strategies
In March Sancha Donald was appointed Chief Executive Officer and she was
joined by the following appointments ;Alison McLaren replaced Kiersten
Fishburn as Audience Development Officer; a Tess McGowan was appointed
as the Information Officer and Katy Mercer was appointed to the new postion
of Training Officer.
Sancha Donald
CEO
Accessible Arts
Access Arts QLD Report
July 2004
- Access Arts 21st Birthday Celebration attended by Patron Queensland
Governor Ms Quentin Bryce.
- Strategic planning process commenced with members and staff undertaken
by JMJ
Armstrong.
- Membership Services Team implemented to better service regional Queensland
- Proactive recruitment of Membership Services Team staff experiencing
a disability in
decision-making positions.
- Successful Grant Australia Council CCD Board for Sound Circles Toolkit
DVD
- Successful Grant Arts Queensland for the development of Sound Circles
State-wide
- Successful Face to Face Talks with Tanpopo no ye on the reviewing
of our partnership for Aichi Japan World Expo to see Sound Circles as
a central activity in the NGO village during September 2005
- REMIX partnership with Princess Alexandra Hospital Mental Health
Arts, Health and Wellbeing Research workshops underway
- Independent Theatre research begins Liz Navratil and Angela Jaeschke
- Champagne Box Auction held at The Brisbane Powerhouse
- 1300 number made available for regional members and enquirers.
See http://www.accessarts.org.au/membership_services.htm
and http://www.accessarts.org.au/model_workplace.htm
Outcomes
- Increase of regional demand and interest.
- Better service to members
- Increase in individual and organisational membership statewide.
- Increase of workshop and development activity statewide.
August
- Consultation with Indigenous Community Inala for a partnership to
employ Regional
Indigenous Project Officers.
- Access Idols competition performance Visy Theatre The Brisbane Powerhouse
Broadcast by BRIZ 31 television
- Arts Access Australia Horsham Face2 Face attended by AAI chair Liz
Navratil, Peter Vance.
- Professional development assistance for Horsham Festival Jeff Usher
and Breanna
Capell.
September
- Access Arts board expanded with publishing business and finances sector
being
represented.
- Sound Circles statewide intensive workshops for facilitators in Nambour
Caboolture
and Brisbane.
- Brisbane Outsider Artists Studio participants begin the focus of
professional
development
- Access Arts contracted to stage Art exhibition with Brisbane Youth
Detention Centre,
young indigenous detainees at QLD state parliament.
October - November
- As part of Access Arts’ commitment to professionalising the
workshop program
Director facilitates a Vis arts Saturday class, establishing a new approach
to working
with the workshop participants’ volunteers and support workers.
- Sound Circles Workshops continue in Brisbane Caboolture The Sunshine
Coast and in Cairns. Sound Circles toolkit DVD filming and recording
was begun to be a living
model of CCD practice based on a wealth of good historical CCD practice
development
- REMIX continues setting up workshop facilities in Brisbane’s
West End and Inala.
December
- International Day of People with Disabilities Members day Brisbane
Powerhouse Live Band Music Visual Arts workshops exhibition, Sound Circles
performance.
- Cairns Sound Circles performance attended by Hon Warren Pitt Queensland
MP
Minister for Communities, Disability Services and Seniors.
January 2005
- Access Arts offers Fusions office space while their gallery is being
redeveloped. Relationship with Fusions grows, 3 shows prior to redevelopment,
and sharing of resources. Potential future representation of Access
Arts emerging and professional visual artists at Fusions.
February
- Access Arts Annual General meeting held new management committee and
president
elected. Marcus Hughes, JMJ Armstrong, Tom Cullinan, George Chapman,
Jodi
Johnstone, Janice Peacock Willie Prince, Louise Yates.
- Access Arts assist and auspice The Brotherhood of the Wordless Arts
Queensland
major grant funding for Documentary.
- New Multi Arts program Capturing Brisbane begins for Saturday Workshops
three
choices of workshop run.
- Brisbane Outsider Artists Studio, Sound Circles state-wide and REMIX
Brisbane
continue.
April - May
- Director Meets with Tanpopo No ye in Aichi Japan to discuss World
Expo Partnership. Funding committed from Toyota Japan to accommodate
a large Queensland Sound Circles team. Tanpopo No ye increases funding
for airfares.
- Skies of the World Smile digital photo exhibition workshops begin
at Brisbane
Childrens’ Hospital.
- Brisbane Outsider Artists Studio, Sound Circles state-wide and REMIX
Brisbane
continue.
June
- Brisbane Outsider Artists Studio, Sound Circles, state-wide and REMIX
Brisbane
continue.
Access Arts Inc® wishes to acknowledge the commitment of staff, our
management committee, volunteers and members who made Access Arts 2004-2005
year an extremely successful one.
Ross Barber
Executive Director
Access Arts
Arts Action Inc Tasmania Report
Arts Action, supported by Arts Access Australia, engaged Helen Rees of
Helen Rees and Associates to take the committee through a strategic planning
process. Out of this planning day a position description was refined and
then the position advertised. The position was advertised based on existing
resources secured through a partnership with Tasmanian Regional Arts and
a successful funding application to Arts Tasmania auspiced by Arts Access
Australia. In kind office and meeting space was confirmed in the Moonah
Arts Centre courtesy of Glenorchy City Council.
Three organisations: Serpentine Studio in Burnie, Cosmos Recreation in
Hobart and Artsroar in Launceston worked with Tasmanian Regional Arts,
with input from Arts Access Australia, to develop a successful application
to the Tasmanian Community Support Levy for an exhibition designed to
tour through out Tasmania and potentially nationally.
On behalf of Arts Action Arts Access Australia unsuccessfully resubmitted
a Tasmanian Community Fund application seeking additional resources to
support the establishment of an arts and disability organisation in Tasmania.
Arts Action Inc Committee
Arts Access Darwin Report
Arts Access Darwin has spent a busy year establishing its place in the
Darwin community. Strongs links with Browns Mart Community Arts, Artback,
Corrugated Iron Youth Theatre and Total Recreation have been maintained,
and new links formed.
Arts Access Darwin has worked closely with Darwin City Council in presenting
Disability Awareness week in August.
This year, Disability Awareness week was part of the Darwin Festival,
and events included an exhibition by well known Darwin artist Michelline
Lee hosted by the Darwin Community Legal Service, a forum on the arts
and disability hosted by Arts Access Darwin and Artback and a standup
comedy night featuring Darwin Raw Comedy winner Jodie Whalan held at Browns
Mart and supported by Arts Access Darwin, Browns Mart, Darwin City Council,
the Darwin Fringe Festival and the Darwin Festival.
Nemarluk School also produced a short film for screening at Casuarina
library and art displays were held at Nightcliff Library and Casuarina
Shopping Centre.
Arts Access Darwin is again working closely with Darwin City Council for
International Day of People with Disabilities on December 2nd, with performances
organised for the day in Darwin's Raintree Mall, and an art exhibition
at the Craft Council in conjunction with Total Recreation.
Arts Access Darwin is looking forward to a busy year next year, with a
visit from Gareth Wreford planned in April. Gareth will present workshops
for key art organisations in Darwin and the Top End.
Meetings have been held with artists, and links made with appropriate
art organisations to assist artists with their chosen artform.
Highlights have been
- a visit from performance artist Jane Muras. Jane was able to deliver
a motivational speach for the students at Henbury School, and is planning
to come to Darwin to work on a project with Corrugated Iron Youth Arts
next year.
- working with standup comedian Jodie Whalan for a standup comedy night
held as part of Disability Awareness Week in August.
Arts Access Darwin is planning another night of standup next year, and
is continuing to explore options to assist Jodie develop her skills.
Links have also been made with the new Arts Access Alice Springs worker
based at InCite Youth Arts. Arts Access Darwin looks forward to forming
a close working partnership with Alice Springs in the future.
That's it from the Top End.
Penny Campton
Arts Access Darwin
Arts Access Central Australia Report
After a quite start to the year InCite Youth Arts in Alice Springs and
Disability Services and Liaison Officer Michele Castagna began working
with Arts Access Australia on pulling together the threads of the earlier
Mapping New Territory project.
A teleconference led to a meeting that formed the Arts Access Central
Australia committee whose members include:
- Michele Castagna - Disability Services and Liaison
- Robyn Manly - Central Remote Health Development
- Susan Oaklands - Director, Central Australian Supported Accommodation
(CASA)
- Virginia Quinn - Bindi Inc
- Rhonda Lake - Sport and Recreation Officer, CASA
- Virginia Heydon - Co-Artistic Director InCite Youth Arts
- Kim McRae - NPY Women's Council
The InCite Youth Arts Board minuted a decision to support Arts Access
Central Australia to work for people with disabilities across all ages.
AACA then developed funding applications for Alice Springs Town Council
and Arts NT to look at strategic development and community capacity building
with outcomes known in 2005/06.
For a history of the earlier project Mapping New Territory see;
http://telemach.co.uk/Veronica2/index.htm
Arts Access Central Australia committee
Arts Access VIC Report
In 2004-2005, Arts Access Victoria embraced a new strategic plan with
energy and drive. Our Access Program, Artistic Program and Information
Services now sit under their own goals giving greater clarity and focus
to the organisation.
The Artistic Program delivered 29 projects to over 350 participants and
employed 80 artists and project staff. There was a huge focus on filmmaking
this year, including an animation project (Hand Made Films), digital storytelling
(Telling Tales) and a short film (The Good Looking Film). Our ongoing
projects continue to go from strength to strength – Art Day South,
a day program for adults with an intellectual disability, Get Out!, a
respite program run on Saturdays for adults with a disability, Saturday
Morning Art Class, for adults with a mental health issue and the Supported
Residential Arts Program in Footscray. We focussed on regional Victoria
through our Voice Messages Project (for indigenous youth in Shepparton)
and The Sheep’s Back (in the Shire of Strathbogie). All this, as
well as running artistic practice training, supporting the Deaf Arts Network
and proudly sending Ruth Whittingham, our Artistic Program Manager, on
a whirlwind study tour of the U.K. (Ruth was the worthy recipient of the
2004 Ethel Temby Award).
Live Captioning came to Victoria this year, thanks to an excellent partnership
between Arts Access (through the Access Program), Melbourne Theatre Company
and the Australian Caption Centre. Two MTC productions were captioned:
Dinner, in September 2004 and The Sapphires, in December 2004
Our specialised ticketing service, EASE continued to cultivate new and
diverse audiences, providing many people with first time theatre experiences
through the distribution of 2,378 free tickets and 15,310 reduced priced
tickets. We also embarked on an exciting period of redevelopment for EASE
- decreasing its role as a ticket provider and concentrating on creating
a sustainable, industry owned model of practice for the future, with a
strengthened focus on advocacy, leadership, and information provision.
The Access Program has also continued working with key disability agencies
and key arts organisations to develop a range of access guidelines and
fact sheets to assist the industry in providing access and meeting their
obligations under anti-discrimination law. The resources developed are
distributed through our training and consultancy services and available
to the arts industry through the Arts Access website.
Our major project for this year saw us dipping our collective toes into
the unknown depths of a festival. Arts Access presented The Other Film
Festival, Australia’s first and only disability film festival. Over
three action-packed days, 800 people sat in the dark and watched 87 outstanding,
surprising, confronting and innovative films from Australia and around
the world made by, with or about people with a disability. It was a groundbreaking
event and a model of accessibility not seen before in this country. We
look forward to doing it again in August 2006.
On an organisational level, we farewelled Executive Director, Nicole
Beyer after five years at the helm of Arts Access. Nicole has left to
explore new horizons (including the arrival of her second child) but she
leaves behind a strong and robust organisation, an experienced staff and
a culture of flexibility that aims to support a life/work balance. We
wish her well in her new endeavours.
Perhaps the greatest concern at a national level for Arts Access Victoria
this year has been the dissolution of the Community Cultural Development
Board of the Australia Council. As a triennially funded organisation,
the impact on us directly is not yet apparent, but as a leading advocate
of ccd practice we are concerned about the future of the sector. Particular
credit must go to Gareth, who rallied the national network as well as
the broader sector and encouraged us to make considered and constructive
responses to the proposed changes. Time will tell.
Criena Gehrke
Executive Director
Privacy and
Conditions |
