Disability Arts History Australia

Items

• "Arts in Action SA: At the forefront of the disability arts movement since 1989"
  Brochure, inviting South Australians to become members of or donate to Arts in Action, reading "Arts in Action has been at the forefront of the disability arts movement since its incorporation in 1989. As the peak organisation for arts and disability in South Australia we promote access and participation in the arts by all people with disabilities, and recognise that the arts have become the language of disability culture."
• "The Arts and Disability"
  This booklet/brochure provides images, descriptions of the work, and contact details and contact organisations for key organisations in South Australia including: Access2Arts; Company AT; Mindshare; No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability; Restless Dance Theatre; Sit Down, Shut Up and Watch Film and New Media Festival; Sisters of Invention, Tutti Arts; The Jame, The Mix, The Gig.
• "The Arts and Disability"
  This booklet/brochure provides images, descriptions of the work, and contact details and contact organisations for key organisations in South Australia including: Access2Arts; Bearded Dragon Gallery; Beats Crew; Community Bridging Services (CBS) Inc.; Company AT; Lolly Jar Circus; No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability; Restless Dance Theatre; Sit Down, Shut Up and Watch Film and New Media Festival; Sisters of Invention, Tutti Arts.
• "Accessible Arts - ACE Arts Creativity Expression - Pru Jobling - Press Release: Appointments to Disability Services Advisory Committee (DSAC) in all states, and to the Advisory Council of Australia (DACA) - Iss4, Pg18-19"
  Accessible Arts - ACE Arts Creativity Expression - Pru Jobling - Press Release: Appointments to Disability Services Advisory Committee (DSAC) in all states, and to the Advisory Council of Australia (DACA) - Iss4, Pg18-19 - reads, in part "You may or may not be aware that the Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services (formerly DCS&H) Mr Brian Howe, has recently appointed new members of the disability community to the Disability Services Advisory Committee (DSAC) in all states, and to the Advisory Council of Australia (DACA) which is the national body."
• "Tutti Arts - Making the Journey: New Publication About Arts and Disability in Australia By Arts Access Australia - Launch Event - Promotional Flyer"
  Tutti Arts 'Making the Journey: New Publication About Arts and Disability in Australia By Arts Access Australia - Launch Event' 2005 - Promotional Flyer
• "Back to Back Theatre - Website - BriefHistory, captured 2008"
  Back to Back Theatre 'Brief History' page, with PDF document of history captured 2008 - reads, in part "Back to Back Theatre evolved out a community arts project that began in Geelong in 1987. The project included disability service providers Corilong and Karingal, the Geelong Children's and Youth Support Services (CYSS) and Deakin University's Performing Arts Course (attached to the Mill Theatre) Individual artists and other members of the Geelong community were also involved." Includes list of Professional Productions (including ‘Big Bag’ 1987-88; ‘Stinking Houses’ 1989; ‘The Peg Machine’ 1990; ‘Everything and the Mermaid’ 1990, ‘I Don’t Want to Live in Lara Anymore 1991; ‘Yell Blue Murder’ 1991; ‘Woodenhead’ 1992; ‘The Adventures of Bobbi Dazzler’ 1992; ‘Voices of Desire’ 1993; ‘Freak Show with Circus Oz 1994; Back to Back in Shorts 1995; Road Movie with Melbourne Workers Theatre 1996; Minds Eye with Handspan Visual Theatre 1996; Peter Pan with Arena Theatre Company 1997; Mr September 1997; Boomtown with Snuff Puppets 1998; Mental 1999; Dog Farm 2000; Pornstar 2001; Soft 2002; Cow 2003; Small Metal Objects 2005), and Community Productions (including Ritual with Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College 1998; Push Push 1999; Drag Racers in Love with Nelson Park School 1999; Arnold 2000 Fishman with Theatre of Speed 2001; Inside the Angel House with Theatre of Speed 2003; Minotaur with Theatre of Speed 2005; DMI with Theatre of Speed 2007; Pod Residences with Night School, Awakenings Festival, Brr Theatre Group, Ants Pantz Arts, Break of Day Players, Theatre of Speed, Arts Action and Amalgamation Festival 2003-2006), and films (including Mullet (1995), White Maggots (1996), Spill (1997), Mark Deans Human Cannonball (1998), Underpants (1999), Backscratch (2000), Porn Star (2002), Rhian Hinkley Theatre of Speed vs. BOZ'n'HOK, vs. HUGE COVILL (2004), D9 (2005), Out of our Minds (2001)).
• "Australia Council - Annual Report 1993-94"
  Australia Council Annual Report 1993-94 - discusses objectives, organisation chart, year in review, support for people with disabilities in Art and Working Life, artform development, main activities of Council and its Boards, and includes financial statements and lists of grants made including grants for programs, development of performance, visual art/crafts, media and multi arts, writers in community residence and local documentation projects as well as “Arts and Disability” research and collaboration in performance of “Love Dances (and other stories)”
• “Assistance to Composers Advisory Board created by the Commonwealth government.”
  In 1967, the Commonwealth government created the Assistance to Composers Advisory Board with an aim to advise on funding needs for music composition and promotion of Australian composers. The Board was to judge work based on “musical distinction or excellence of its kind, and on the promotion of Australian composers both in Australia and abroad”. The Board’s functions were later absorbed by the Australia Council.
• Australian Chamber Orchestra
• "Arts Access Victoria established in 1973 and provides valuable resources and conferences throughout the decades"
  In 1973, Judy Morton successfully applied for funding to start a 6-month pilot program and Arts Access Victoria was established the following year. However, due to lack of government funding and despite public appeal, programs were suspended in 1977. Fortunately, operation resumed in 1979 and AAV was formally constituted with a small School Commission fund as Arts Access Society Inc. Arts Access Victoria had both organisational and financial growth in the mid to late 1980s. This led to a diversification of arts projects and the beginning of long-term artistic programs which remain as the core programs of AAV. Arts workshops also began in regional Victoria during this time. In 1988, Arts Access was approached to run a national conference focusing on the arts and disability. Two years later, they convened P-art-ICIPATE '90 and subsequently published ‘P-art-ICIPATE '90: a conference report’. They also published ‘Inner Words Outer Spaces’, edited by Bev Roberts (1995), ‘Arts Alive: An Information Leaflet about the Ways the Arts Can Work for Older People’ (1995), ‘Accessible Theatresports’ (1996), and Bev Roberts's ‘Work Guide: How to Establish an Artist in Community Project’ (1996). In 1998, Arts Access (Victoria) assumed responsibility for its own financial management and administration. In 1999, Arts Access Victoria presented Verve!, a national symposium on arts and disability.
• “100 disabled people protest outside Parliament House against moves to tax their government allowances”
  On 29 September 1978, 100 people with disability protested outside Parliament House against moves to tax their government allowances. Following the protest, Treasurer John Howard was forced to rescind the decision.
• “Alan Marshall writes ‘I Can Jump Puddles’ in 1955”
  Alan Marshall wrote 'I Can Jump Puddles' in 1955., the first in a series of works about growing up with a disability. The subsquent books were 'This Is the Grass' (1962), 'In Mine Own Heart' (1963), and 'Hammers Over the Anvil' (1975). Marshall contracted polio at age six and became physically disabled.
• “Accessible Arts (NSW) established”
  Accessible Arts (NSW) was established in 1986. "the peak arts and disability organisation in New South Wales. We advance the rights of, and opportunities for, people with disability or who are d/Deaf to develop and sustain professional careers in the arts and have equitable access to arts and culture across NSW".
• “7-part series ‘Fair Go’ produced by Film Australia”
  In 1981, Film Australia produced a 7-part series, called Fair Go, on Australians with mental and physical disabilities and how it impacted their lives and the lives of their families. “Each program is presented from the viewpoint of the person with the disability and demonstrates the practical implications of coping with a disability in daily life at home, in the community, in the workplace or at school.” Film Australia was consolidated into Screen Australia in 2008.
• “The 1985 New Directions Report is released”
  People with disabilities and their families participated in the review for the first time as part of a comprehensive consultation process. The resulting report ‘New directions: report of the Handicapped Programs Review’ was released in 1985. It indicated the need for change in disability policy culture of how people with a disability rights and capacities to realise their individual capacities for development.
• "Kevin Byrne AM leads protest outside Parliament House"
  The activist Kevin Byrne AM led a protest outside Parliament House. This coupled with the release of the Richmond Report led to the Hawke Government’s Handicapped Programs Review, which in turn led ‘New Directions: Report of the Handicapped Programs Review’.
• “Queensland Advocacy Incorporated spearhead campaigns to close institutions”
  In 1989, when the Bjelke-Petersen-Ahern Government was coming to an end, the newly established Queensland Advocacy Incorporated was spearheading campaigns around the state to close down institutions and provide financing for individual help for individuals with disabilities.
• “House Gang debuts on SBS”
  In 1996, a comedy television series debuted on SBS called ‘House Gang’ featuring three actors with intellectual disabilities.
• “Studio A established in 2000”
  Studio A (NSW) was established in 2000 to create access and opportunities for visual artists with intellectual disabilities; their in-house artists’ “practices range from painting and drawing to sculpture, textiles and digital media”. In their own words, “At Studio A, we are dedicated to professionally empower artists with disability and have their voices heard within contemporary Australian culture.”
• “Protesters gather in Lismore (NSW) to oppose proposed cuts to services”
  In 2004, 300 disabled persons, along with their relatives and carers, gathered in Lismore to protest proposed cuts to adult, training, learning, and support programs, among other services. These were a part of a series of demonstrations against the state government that included hundreds of demonstrators in Newcastle and resulted in the state government reversing its position on modifications to the Post-Schools Options Disability Program.
• “NuunaRon (QLD) is established in 2018”
  NuunaRon (QLD), "a group for Aboriginal and Torres Strait artists and emerging artists living with disability," was established in 2018. The name NuunaRon is a portmanteau in honour of two disabled artists, Elders Aunty Nuuna (a saltwater Noonuccal woman) and Uncle Ron (a Kamilaroi man). The organisation is supported by Elders Living With Disability Australia (ELDA). NuunaRon “provides a safe space for people to share stories of resilience and keeping strong via yarning, painting and creating art.”
• “The arts sector is forced to adapt in the face of COVID-19 lockdowns”
  Government-enforced lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic saw arts events cancelled and disability arts organisations temporarily close physical premises as social distancing rules came into play. While Coronavirus 19 restricted social contact, there were some benefits that arose such as increased digital access for social connection, online ordering accessible via screen readers and home delivery, virtual tours of art galleries, online choirs, and telehealth appointments.
• Arts Access Australia
• Beats Crew
• Igneous