Disability Arts History Australia

Items

• "Australian Theatre of The Deaf - NSW Theatre of the Deaf - History 1982"
  Australian Theatre of The Deaf History 1982 - Information about the history of the NSW Theatre of the Deaf, in which Nick Neary, Welfare Officer for the Adult Deaf Society of NSW in the 1970s developed a Deaf drama group, that with funding from the Australia Council and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust became professionalised in 1979 [NSW Theatre of the Deaf, then in 1982 Theatre of the Deaf/Australian Theatre of the Deaf]. Information about company work – mainstage, schools, television, and special events – style, members.
• "Tutti Arts - Sit Down Shut Up & Watch - Filmmaking Workshop 2016 - Press Release"
  Tutti Arts - 'Sit Down Shut Up & Watch Filmmaking Workshop' 2016 Press Release - reads, in part “ On October 21 the second Sit Down Shutup and Watch [SDSW] Film New Media Festival will happen in the Angaston Town Hall. The festival is the brainchild of seven talented young film makers with learning disability form Regional South Australia and Adelaide. Their first festival, held in October 2014 was a fabulous success with over 40 films screened from all over the world and nearly 500 people attending. In the lead up to our second Festival, we are delivering a series of 4-day film-making workshops for people with learning disabilities across regional areas of South Australia to ensure we have plenty of South Australian films in the mix. The first of these is the Renmark / Riverland workshop to be held from Tuesday 8th March - Friday 11th March, at the McCormick Centre, Rau Rau Ave, Renmark.”
• "Tutti Arts - The Magic Flute - Media Release"
  Tutti Arts 'The Magic Flute' 2011 Media Release - reads, in part "South Australia's leading community arts organisation, the award winning Tutti Inc., will embark on one of its most ambitious collaborations to date with State Opera of South Australia (SOSA) and Cirkidz to present a new adaptation of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's The Magic Flute."
• Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre
• Lindsay Cox
• "Interview with Darcy Carpenter"
  Darcy Carpenter is a professional dancer and has performed with Restless Dance Theatre since 2014. Interview Summary: Darcy is a professional dancer with a family history in dance, who works with Restless Dance Theatre and has worked with the Riverland Youth Theatre. Darcy expressed her passion for dance and acting, mentioning her desire to share emotional experiences with her audience and her personal growth as an artist through the support of Restless Dance Theatre organisation. Throughout the interview, Darcy’s pride as a third-generation dancer shone through, along with her aspirations to continue developing her artistry.
• Bronwyn Platten
• “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.
• “Genni Batterham stages a protest at the opening of Bondi Junction railway station 1979, makes film in 1980”
  When Bondi Junction railway station opened in 1979, Genni Batterham staged a protest about the lack of accessible transportation options for individuals with disabilities. After receiving a multiple sclerosis diagnosis in 1978, Genni became severely disabled very quickly. She did everything in her power to stop the disease's progression and was furious at being "consigned to the world of the disabled." The 1979 Bondi Junction protest was an important moment in the history of the Disability Rights Movement in New South Wales. The Premier, Neville Wran, later said that the experience led him to developing the Disability Taxi Service, the first public transport system designed for people with disability to be launched in Australia. Batterham then made the film ‘Pins and Needles’ (1980) with her husband Kim. Under the direction of Barbara Chobocky and with funding from the Australian Film Commission's Women's Film Fund, the film was screened in five different countries, took home first place at the 1980 Canadian Film Festival, and took home second place at the 1980 New York Film Festival. Genni and Kim would then collaborate on three further films about the phases of her life: Where's the Give and Take? (1981), Artreach (1982), and Riding the Gale (1987).
• “Handicapped Persons Assistance Act 1974”
  Compared to earlier decades, the mid-1970s saw an increase in political activity pertaining to individuals with disabilities. The Handicapped Persons Assistance Act (HPAA) of 1974 is one such example, which replaced several policies and funded non-government organisations that provided care and housing. In 1983, the Hawke Labour Government instigated an evaluation of the initiatives created under the HPAA. The HPAA was replaced in 1986 by the Commonwealth Disability Services Act of 1986.
• "Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (1993) Australia's welfare 1993: services and assistance. Canberra: AGPS."
• "Headliners - IMBD"
  Headliners' Internet Movie Database (IMDB) entry - reads, in part "Musician and fervent campaigner for inclusion, access and equality, Elly-May Barnes leads the quest to create two bands made up entirely of musicians living with disability."
• "Unbroken Land - review by Dani Powell 2016, captured 2018"
  Review of Unbroken Land (InCite Arts/Red Hot Arts Central Australia) by Dani Powell in Limelight Magazine, 18/09/2016, reads, in part “According to Co-Artistic Directors Jenine Mackay and Virginia Heydon, the show endeavoured to “share the stories of how we feel and experience connection to nature, place and belonging”.”
• "Restless Dance - Residencies"
  Restless Dance Theatre website, 'Residencies,' captured 2020 - reads, in part "In 2016 Frantic Assembly visited Australia to work with the State Theatre Company of South Australia. While they were here they conducted a residency with Restless. Over 3-days they created and performed an original devised Frantic Assembly performance."
• "The first Arts Activated conference takes place"
  Accessible Arts NSW started biennial Arts Activated conferences in 2007 "to inform, connect and activate people and organisations involved with Australia’s arts and disability sector" https://aarts.net.au/arts-activate/
• “The Commonwealth Disability Services Act of 1986 replace the Handicapped Persons Assistance Act of 1974”
  In 1983, The Hawke Labour Government evaluated the initiatives created under the Handicapped Persons Assistance Act of 1974. The HPAA was replaced in 1986 by the Commonwealth Disability Services Act of 1986. Among other changes, this Act represents the shift in nomenclature from 'handicap' to ‘disability’.
• “Advocates fight for accessible public transport”
  In 1994, Maurice Corcoran (a wheelchair user) lodged a complaint about the South Australian government ordering 50 new buses that were not accessible. The Australian Human Rights Commission successfully negotiated for all new buses to be fitted with ramps. Then, in 1999, a protest about the lack of public transport options for people with disability saw Citizens for Accessible Public Transport block traffic in Sydney’s city centre.
• “The Australian Government announced a National Autism Strategy in 2022”
  In 2022, a National Autism Strategy was announced by the Australian Government. The Department of Social Services note that the strategy developed out of a “comprehensive co-design process.” Its objectives relate to social inclusion; economic inclusion; diagnosis, services and supports; and health and mental health. The strategy puts forth a “vision for a safe and inclusive society for all Autistic people. One where we support and empower Autistic people to thrive, in all aspects of life.”
• "Nola Colefax and Annee Lawrence (1999) Signs of change : my autobiography and the history of Australian Theatre of the Deaf 1973-83. Deaf Resources Australia"
  "The story of a small group of people making theatre history in a little known Australian community. The book interweaves the personal history of Nola Colefax with the history, culture and development of the deaf community." More on Nola Colefax's contribution to Theatre of the Deaf at https://web.archive.org/web/20241113210108/https://deafinnsw.com/nola-colefax.
• "Jung Hyoung Yoon, Caroline Ellison, Peggy Essl (2020). Shifting the perspective from ‘incapable’ to ‘capable’ for artists with cognitive disability; case studies in Australia and South Korea. Disability & Society, 36(3), 443–467. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687599.2020.1751079"
  Reads, in part "This study examined four inclusive arts organisations in Australia and South Korea, providing creative services for artists living with cognitive disability, including autism, intellectual and mental disability. This research study focused on exploring what support inclusive arts organisations and society have provided for artists living with cognitive disability to pursue professional careers."
• "Commonwealth of Australia (2014) National Arts Disability Strategy Evaluation 2009–2012. Canberra: Meeting of Cultural Ministers: National Arts and Disability Implementation Working Group."
  Reads, in part "The first evaluation was completed in October 2013 and explores the Strategy's outcomes from October 2009 to December 2012. The Evaluation Report includes input from the Australian, state and territory governments, following targeted consultation with arts and disability stakeholders. The Evaluation Report was endorsed by cultural ministers in October 2014."
• “Activism leads to a Disability Royal Commission”
  Decades of activism led to a 2019 Senate motion calling for a Disability Royal Commission. The first public hearing of the Royal Commission took place on 16th September, 2019 at Brisbane’s Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Commission resulted in a report in 12 volumes. Several volumes include Volume 3: Nature and extent of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, Volume 6: Enabling autonomy and access, Volume 7: Inclusive education, employment and housing, Volume 9: First Nations people with disability, and Volume 10: Disability services. Overall, the Commission presented “222 recommendations on how to improve laws, policies, structures and practices to ensure a more inclusive and just society that supports the independence of people with disability and their right to live free from violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.” In 2023, the final report of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability was published with 220 recommendations for a more inclusive nation to reduce exploitation, violence, abuse and neglect of people with disabilities.
• Unlimited UK
• ANAT
• Unlimited Festival