Employment
The Arts Access Australia network has an active interest in supporting individual artists with disabilities and the employment of people with disabilities in arts organisations.
The 2003 report Don't Give Up Your Day Job: An Economic Study of Professional Artists in Australia indicates that 10% of artists identify as having a disability and half of all artists earn less than $7,300 from their practice. Arts Access Australia uses these figures with caution as our national network of members was not consulted or included in this research.
We know that nearly a million people receive payment for their work in the cultural sector and that the overall economic size of the sector is estimated at $19 billion which is on a par with the road transport and residential construction industries. In addition we know that people with disabilities are under-employed despite evidence they are good employees.
Arts Access Australia’s immediate priority is to have the arts and cultural sector recognised as a significant employer and a specific area for open employment and disability employment programs to focus on. A related strategy is ensuring arts organisations commit to the employment of people with disabilities. The Australia Council 2008 – 2010 Disability Action Plan includes the development of an employment strategy and training for all key organisations.
Arts Access Australia has also responded to Federal Government reviews of employment services and the development of a National Mental Health and Disability Employment Strategy.
Arts Access Australia sees a clear need to better promote artists with a disability. While many artists find work through Arts Access Australia members there is only one talent agency, Salubrious Productions, specifically promoting a diverse range of performers.
For individual artists with a disability current employment programs do not have the flexibility to support self-employment, part – time or casual work which is common in the arts.
The New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS) is one possible avenue of support for artists to establish their own practice.
In 2006 Mission Australia used a NEIS program to support a group of unemployed people to become artists.
International
In the USA the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) provides support for VSA Arts and the National Arts and Disability Centre to run state career forums. The forums, held in partnership with state arts agencies, support the planning and implementation of activities that:
- assess the education and career needs of artists and arts administrators with a disability, and
- develop and implement strategies to overcome barriers and advance careers in the arts for individuals with disabilities.
The Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts publishes Opening Stages Newsletter. The Opening Stages Newsletter is a quarterly publication written for people with disabilities, who are pursuing careers in the performing arts.
The USA Alliance for Inclusion in the Arts is a leading performing arts advocacy organisation and the Non Traditional Casting Project provides employer resources and advocacy material that includes people with disabilities.
In the UK Shape Arts has been funded by the Arts Council of England to develop arrange of online resources for artists including case studies, an artists resource pack and a guide to access to work.
Shape also received funding from the London Development Agency to run Link Up for three years. Link Up is a career development programme for deaf and disabled people in London. Link Up was designed to be a flexible training programme, which provides invaluable insights and practical information on finding employment and developing a career. It includes:
* Creative Industry career development days
* One-to-one mentoring, including training for new mentors
* Business and employment seminars
* Tailored Training for groups, and
* Access Forums for creative industry employers.
The European Commission website on media and disability offers a wealth of information and links about casting and representations of people with a disability.
Looking for more information? Try our Links section.
