AAA NewsletterIssue 5 - December 2001Published: Bi Monthly 1. Arts Access Australia NewsNew Chair for Arts Access AustraliaAAA welcomes David Doyle, Program Manager for AAA (WA) Inc as its new Chair. David has many years experience in the arts and disability field, and has just emerged unscathed from the very successful Rewind Festival in Perth, of which he was Artistic Director. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our outgoing Chair, Val Shiell for her commitment, diplomacy, and vision over the last 3 years. Northern Territory Development InitiativeVal Shiell (Executive Director of AAA WA) and Claire Havey (National Network Director) have just returned from Darwin where they facilitated a meeting of arts and disability sector stakeholders with support from the Australia Council and Arts NT. Twenty two organisations were represented at the meeting, which focused on bringing arts organisations, disability organisations, people with disabilities and artists together to identify and discuss potential alliances, common aims and possible joint projects. The meeting appointed a Steering Committee and working parties to further develop the initiative. The organisations and individuals present brought a wealth of experience and energy to the meeting, and we look forward to further developments in 2002. 2. Members NewsRewind FestivalThe Rewind Festival was held in November in Perth, and was the largest festival yet for AAA WA. The Festival was a box office hit, with sold out performances, lots of media coverage, and a great culmination for AAA WA's artistic program which seeks to "plumb the space between professional, community and emerging arts practice". Awakenings FestivalThe Awakenings Festival took place in Horsham in October. The festival provides a diverse range of opportunities to participants. It offers opportunities in dance, drama and music. Professional performances, visual arts, environmental sculpture, outdoor recreation activities, the Awakenings Ball, a Poet's Breakfast, a Youth Project, an Ecumenical Church service and associated community fringe events value add to the program. Dr Hollingsworth, Governor General new patron of DADA ACTIn his first public appearance for DADA AACT, his Excellency, The Right Reverend DR Peter Hollingworth, Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia opened "The Big Umbrella ACT, a visual arts exhibition which continues in the Canberra Theatre Foyer until 25 January. 3. Government NewsArts Victoria Launches its new disability action planOn September 26, Arts Victoria launched its new Disability Action Plan after a series Disability Awareness Training sessions for staff. Penny Hutchinson, Director of Arts Victoria said "Arts Victoria is taking a leadership role within the arts, in ensuring better access for all people within our society.". Copies of the plan are available at: www.arts.vic.gov.au Victorian Arts Industry Forum on Disability Discrimination ActThis forum, a joint initiative of Arts Victoria, The Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission and Arts Access, outlined ways arts organisations can make their work more accessible to people with disabilities and thus meeting their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act. I f you need help writing a Disability Action Plan or are interested in running Disability Awareness Training for your staff, please contact your State AAA organisation. Contact details at: www.dadaanat.net.au/members Dept of Family and Community Services Speaker OpportunitiesFACS is building a database of possible speakers, performers and artists who could be useful in promoting: disability awareness; the ability and employability of people with disabilities; personal achievement and integrity; performers.In the past, FACS has employed sports people as speakers but is now looking to the arts. If you are interested please send a short biography of speakers with about 200 words of background and contact details (including agents details if relevant) to coord@dadaanat.net.au. 4. New ResourcesNew Multicultural Disability WebsiteThe Multicultural Disability Advocacy Association of NSW (MDAA) has launched its new Website. Go to MDAA: www.mdaa.org.au Disability Events Listing on the FACS WebsiteIf you would like to list your arts event on this national website go to: http://www.facs.gov.au/disability/ood/disabs_dates_2001.htm Launch of new Accessible Web Tool - Bobby World WideThis new version of Bobby from CAST is a free Web-based tool that
analyses Web pages for their accessibility to people with disabilities
using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines from the Web Access
Initiative. Go to Artists Website LaunchedJohn O'Keeffe has launched a website for Artists who have suffered a stroke and are returning to practice art. The site includes interesting background on sensory disturbances caused by strokes. Go to: http://www.tassie.net.au/stroke-artists 5. Conferences/Events Coming UpCreative Spaces Conference - Call for PapersArts Access Aoteroa is planning a major conference for everyone interested in the work of New Zealand's many Creative Spaces. Creative Spaces cater for the creative needs of groups as diverse as the young and old, refugees and migrant, people with disabilities, including psychiatric and intellectual disabilities and the unemployed. Some Creative Spaces run structured workshops and others have a drop in policy. Conference dates are 28-28 February 2003. For information on submiting papers, or workshops email: conference@artsaccess.org.nz International Media Festival on DisabilitiesSUPERFEST XXII, International Media Festival on Disabilities, seeks entries of works about disability or by mediamakers with a disability. A 1/2 inch VHS-NTSC preview format is required. Final entry deadline is January 31, 2002 (post-marked. NOTE: Works made since 12/1/97 are eligible. You can also download an entry form at http://www.madknight.com/cdt/superfest/index.htm. 6. Your Feedback, Contributions and IdeasIf you have anything you would like listed in this newsletter, want to give feedback, or be removed from this list contact: coord@dadaanat.net.au 
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