Disability Arts History Australia

Items

• "Restless Dance - Program 2022"
  Restless Dance Theatre Program 2022 – information about works Seeing Through Darkness, Ecoute Pour Voir (Listen To See), Exposed, and Home, and promotion of tour ready works Guttered and Intimate Space
• "Incite Arts Annual Report 2022"
  Incite Arts Annual Report 2022 - About Incite Arts, Board’s Report, Highlights, Project (stArts with D’ Performance Ensemble ‘Strong Feelings’ Program, Southern Ngalia Warlpiri Women and Girls Dance Camp Program, Create Communities, Unbroken Land, NT Arts Access Awards), Partners
• "Access Arts CPL Ltd Constitution 2022"
  Access Arts CPL Ltd Constitution 2022
• "Back to Back Theatre - Annual Report 2022"
  Back to Back Theatre Annual Report 2022 - Chair’s Report, international premiere of film SHADOW, continued international touring of original stage show THE SHADOW WHOSE PREY THE HUNTER BECOMES, continued touring GANESH VERSUS THE THIRD REICH and THE DEMOCRATIC SET, premieres of new screen works FIRST RESPONDERS (ABC) and WHATEVER SCARES YOU (SBS), immersive installation DREAMS FEEL REAL WHEN YOU'RE IN THEM from Theatre of Speed, CAMP training weekends, creative development of new Back to Back work MULTIPLE BAD THINGS, ensemble member development of their own works.
• Access Arts
• Bronwyn Hack
• Samraing Chea
• Amanda Cachia
• "Bree Hadley (2017) Disability theatre in Australia: a survey and a sector ecology. Research in Drama Education, 22(3), pp. 305-324.”
• Katie Ellis
• Kath Duncan
• “Australia Council start development of Code of Conduct for Access in The Arts”
  Australia Council started development of Code of Conduct for Access in The Arts. Consultation took place in 2021-2022.
• SBS
• Madeleine Little
• Michelle Ryan
• "Interview with Michele Saint-Yves"
  Michèle Saint-Yves is a playwright, filmmaker, poet, and director. Interview Summary Michèle Saint-Yves’ background includes a colonial upbringing in Pacific territories, a Scottish boarding school education, and a complex personal journey of confronting her own inherent racism and colonial legacy, particularly through her writing. Her work as an artist with disability is deeply informed by her sense of otherness and focuses on creating inclusive performance-based work that challenges mainstream audiences and systems, aiming for transformative experiences that impact disability justice and community. Michèle actively embraced the social model of disability, which shifted her understanding of herself and her art, and has received recognition for her pioneering work with the prize-winning show "Clock for No Time." However, recognising the social model’s limitations, her current creative endeavours are concerned with 'access intimacy' and evaluating the lasting impact of her performances, in collaboration with other artists and through research grants.
• "Interview with Alison Richardson"
  Alison Richardson is an ally and advocate for people with disability with experience as an inclusive arts organisation artistic director and access and inclusion officer. Interview Summary Alison Richardson, artistic director and CEO of Crossroad Arts at the time of the interview, has had a 25-year journey through the fields of drama, theatre, and inclusive arts, starting in Sydney and leading to her role in Mackay, Queensland. Her work began by engaging with diverse young people and evolved into a focus on disability arts, recognising a gap in services and opportunities for people with disabilities in artistic expression. Throughout her career, she has witnessed and contributed to the gradual increase in visibility and opportunities for artists with disabilities, acknowledging the fluctuating support and funding in the sector. Despite challenges, Alison has observed progress in how disability arts are valued and the emergence of conversations around identity and representation within this community.
• "Interview with Gayle Kennedy"
• "Interview with Alex Creece"
  Alex Creece is writer, poet, editor, collage artist, and average kook living on Wadawurrung land. Interview Summary Alex Creece, focused on her experiences and journey as a disabled artist and writer in Australia. Alex discussed the importance of building a community and the challenges of balancing personal identity with maintaining professionalism in art. Alex expressed a desire for increased accessibility and recognition in the industry, highlighting the need for continued support of disabled artists. Throughout the conversation, the complexity of disability arts' visibility, identity politics, and the definition of creative success were explored, with Alex providing insight into her own work as well as broader industry trends and challenges.
• "Interview with Asphyxia"
  Asphyxia is an artist, author, activist and performer who has founded Amplio, a music app for Deaf and hard of hearing people. She also provides free online Auslan lessons and online art courses. Interview Summary Asphyxia is a Deaf artist whose journey into the arts started with a deep love for ballet, but after facing discrimination due to her Deafness, she pivoted to a successful career in circus performance and later puppetry, which embraced her Deafness and signing skills. Her work in performance art led her to write and illustrate the Awards-winning art-journal book, Future Girl, which explores Deaf identity and environmental issues. She has now moved into music, creating an app that makes music accessible and writing music designed with Deaf and hard of hearing audiences in mind. Although not sure about the major milestones in disability arts history in Australia, she considers her art to be both political and personal, often tackling issues related to her identity as a Deaf person and the aesthetics of disability equipment. While Asphyxia identifies as a Deaf artist, above all, she sees herself as an artist whose work appeals to the mainstream while celebrating Deafness and diversity.
• “Arts Access Victoria launches the disability arts festival Alter State”
  In 2021, Arts Access Victoria launched Alter State, a major disability arts festival celebrating contemporary art and live performance with artists from Australia and Aotearoa (New Zealand). “In October 2022, the inaugural Alter State presented 28 performances, including 5 world premiere events, schools’ shows and 14 different types of art forms, as well as 32 films, in-conversation sessions, and workshops.”
• Focus on Ability Film Festival
• Janice Florence
• Nick Hughes
• Gayle Kennedy