Disability Arts History Australia

Items

• Kerreen Ely Harper
• Linda Murrow
• Lynden Bobbit
• Lynden Bobbitt
• Megan Evans
• "Accessible Arts - ACE Arts Creativity Expression - Promotional Notice - Public Television Conference and Commonwealth State Disability Agreement - 1992 - Iss7, Pg5"
  Accessible Arts - ACE Arts Creativity Expression - Promotional Notice - Public Television Conference and Commonwealth State Disability Agreement - 1992 - Iss7, Pg5
• "Soprano Marjorie Lawrence performs in her wheelchair in the 1940s"
  In the 1940s, Australian soprano Marjorie Lawrence contracted polio and performed in her wheelchair, both nationally and internationally, showing veterans life after disability was possible. Platforms were modied for her wheelchair so she could perform.
• “Arts Access Australia established”
  Arts Access Australia was established in 1992 as a national body for arts and disability with funding support from the Australian Council for the Arts.
• “Australia Council releases its first Disability Action Plan”
  In 1996, the Australia Council for the Arts released its first Disability Action Plan.
• “1993 welfare report includes people with disability as one of four foci”
  ‘Australia's Welfare 1993: Services and Assistance’ was the first biennial report to include information on Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Statistics on people with disability was one of four main areas. https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/aa045df7-78e3-465e-b4b5-079b6ae6ace8/aw93.pdf?v=20230605150811&inline=true
• “The Art of Difference Disability and Deaf Arts Festival takes place in 2009”
  The Art of Difference Disability and Deaf Arts Festival in 2009 featured visual, performing, literary and new media artists as a two-week international arts festival.
• "Access2Arts (SA) established in 2009"
  Access2Arts (SA) was established in 2009. In their own words, “following on from many years of work by the Community Arts Network SA (CANSA), a project was created within Arts SA called the Disability Arts Transition Team. This led to our establishment as an independent body to represent, advocate and respond to the needs of the arts and disability sectors.” The organisation became incorporated in 2013. They are the body for arts and disability in South Australia.
• “The 2010s sees numerous new disability performing arts companies established”
  The 2010s saw the establishment of several new disability performing arts companies and collectives, both professional and community-based, across the country: Beyond the Square (NSW, 2011), ‘stArts with a D’ Performance Ensemble (NT, 2011), Theatre on Wheels (VIC, 2011), Can You See Me? Theatre (NSW, 2012), Company AT (SA, 2012), Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre (NSW, 2013), Screech Arts (QLD, 2014), IndelibilityArts (QLD, 2015), AHA Ensemble (QLD, 2015), Murmuration (NSW, 2015), Raspberry Ripple (VIC, 2015), Deafferent Theatre (VIC, 2016).
• “An ABC video series explores the experiences of deaf and disabled musicians”
  A 2021 video series by ABC Classic featured interviews with four deaf and disabled musicians. The series, made in honour of International Day of People with Disability, explored the musicians’ experiences of the music industry.
• “Disabled actor and writer Heather Rose stars in ‘Dance Me to My Song’ (1998)”
  The 1998 film ‘Dance Me to My Song’ stars Heather Rose, who also co-wrote the film. It is about a woman with cerebral palsy, whose carer resents the job. The dramatic tension rises when the two women both take an interest in the same man. The Rolf de Heer-directed film is significant for casting a disabled actor at a time when authentic disability representation was rare, not to mention Rose’s contribution to the screenplay. ‘Dance Me to My Song’ was selected to feature in the Cannes International Film Festival in May 1998. The documentary ‘Heather Rose Goes to Cannes’ (1998, Christopher Corin) follows Rose’s journey from Adelaide to Cannes.
• High Beam Festival
• Company AT
• Incite Arts
• Company @
• Morwenna Collett
• Kate Larsen
• Kate Larson
• Disability Arts History Australia - Launch 2025 - Media Release
• “The Cunningham Dax Collection of artworks opens”
  In 1952, an English psychiatrist Dr Eric Cunningham Dax was appointed as the Chairman of the Mental Hygiene Authority in Melbourne. In the UK, Dr Dax had introduced art therapy in programs for patients in psychiatric care and introduced art programs to Victorian Hospitals. In 1959, Dr Dax organised the first art exhibition of psychiatric patients held at Gallery A, Flinders Lane. The Cunningham Dax Collection of artworks grew, and an official opening occurred in Faraday Street Gallery in the 1980s. “Two distinct eras are represented in the Cunningham Dax Collection; artworks produced within psychiatric hospitals from 1940s into 1970s and artworks donated to the Collection by artists and community groups from 1980s until the present.” Dr Dax had introduced art therapy in programs for patients in psychiatric care and introduced art programs to Victorian Hospitals. In 1981, the National Gallery of Australia received 68 paintings from the Dax Collection - these were returned in 1994.
• “Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) recognised as an independent organisation in 1995”
  Women With Disabilities Australia (WWDA) gained seed funding from the government in 1994 and was recognised as an independent organisation in 1995. The organisation shares a history with Disabled People’s International (Australia) (established 1983) and its National Women’s Network (established 1985).