Disability Arts History Australia

Items

• ACE Magazine
• Ross Barber
• "Australia Council - Annual Report 1982-83"
  Australia Council - Annual Report Australia Council Annual Report 1982-83 - discusses objectives, members of council, board members, organisation chart, staff list, council report, programs, board reports, financial statements, publications and grant lists including workshops, art production activities, production of magazine, award and performances.1982-83
• “The national tour of the exhibition BodySuits results in commissions and new opportunities for artists”
  A visual arts exhibition, BodySuits, toured nationally between 1997 and 1999. It was curated by Jane Trengove. This resulted in commissions and new opportunities for artists. Arts Access Victoria published a catalogue for the exhibition in 1997; the exhibition showed in Melbourne from 5 July - 2 August 1997 at 200 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy (a location now known as Gertrude Contemporary).
• “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 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).
• “In 2014, the Australia Council introduces its first grant specifically for artists with disabilities”
  In 2014, the Australia Council introduces its first grant specifically for artists with disabilities. Then Australia Council CEO Tony Grybowski announced “the Artists with Disability Pilot Program; the Council’s Disability Action Plan for 2014-2016; and additional funding for Arts Access Australia to increase career development and employment opportunities for artists with disability.” The pilot program granted $300,000 to disabled artists to develop and present their work. Following this, the program was extended for another three years. The “million dollar investment” would “provide development grants of up to $25,000 and project grants of up to $50,000 for individuals and groups.” That same year, the Australia Council received its first ever grant application in Australian Sign Language (Auslan). However, in 2019, Australia Council ended its dedicated funding program for disabled artists and replaced it with the National Arts and Disability Awards.
• “The Australian Government launches a new national cultural policy, Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place”
  The Australian Government launched a new national cultural policy, Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place. Revive comprises 5 pillars: First Nations First, A Place for Every Story, Centrality of the Artist, Strong Cultural Infrastructure, and Engaging the Audience. The policy allocates $5 million for an Arts and Disability Associated Plan, under Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021–31 “to enable people with disability to access and participate fully in the cultural and creative life of Australia.” This replaces the National Arts and Disability Strategy.
• “Screen Australia launches an access coordinator training program”
  Screen Australia launched an access coordinator training program in 2023. “The Access Coordinator role is intended for people from the Deaf/Disabled and/or Neurodivergent (DDN) communities who are committed to improving disability representation and removing barriers to inclusion.” Screen Australia partnered with the following organisations for the initiative: the New Zealand Film Commission, Screen Queensland, Screen Tasmania, Screen Territory, Screenwest, VicScreen, the South Australian Film Corporation, Screen ACT, Screen NSW, and the Australian Film Television Radio School.
• “The South Australian Film Corporation announces their disability screen strategy”
  The South Australian Film Corporation launched their disability screen strategy. First, their Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2022-2032, which they say “breaks new ground nationally,” defines quantifiable 10-year targets. In addition, the SAFC has developed a Disability Equality Plan, Targeted Diversity Attachments, the FULL TILT Short Documentary Initiative, and Film Lab: New Voices, a feature film development program presented by SAFC with Adelaide Film Festival and Mercury CX.
• "Bree Hadley, Eddie Paterson, Madeleine Little, Kath Duncan (2024) How Disability Performance Travels in Australia: The Reality Under the Rhetoric. In Czymoch, Christiane, Maguire Rossier, Kate, & Schmidt, Yvonne (Eds.) How Does Disability Performance Travel?: Access, Art, and Internationalization. Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon, pp. 62-76.”
  "The last three decades has witnessed the development of a distinct narrative about how disability performance has become a much celebrated component of the Australian theatre landscape. A central aspect of this narrative is the critical importance of festivals, events, and other industry initiatives that allow disabled performers to travel - both conceptually and corporeally - to meet and be mentored by other artists, and to present their work to new and more mainstream audiences, in new spaces and places, around the country, and around the world. In this chapter, we draw on historical data, collected as part of an AusStage ARC LIEF project designed to database information about disability drama, theatre, performance, and dance over the past 100 years, as well as the Last Avant Garde ARC Linkage project on disability performance in Australia, to unpack areas where the reality seems to challenge some of the dominant rhetoric."
• "Australia Council for the Arts (2018) Arts and Disability a Priority as Australia Council Commits Significant New Funding. 24 September 2018."
  Reads, in part "The Australia Council has committed $750k over three years to support sustainable careers and to recognise the artistic excellence of artists with disability."
• "Katie Ellis, Gerard Goggin, Beth Haller, Rosemary Curtis ed. (2019) Routledge Companion to Disability and Media. London & New York: Routledge."
  Reads, in part "An authoritative and indispensable guide to disability and media, this thoughtfully curated collection features varied and provocative contributions from distinguished scholars globally, alongside next-generation research leaders."
• "Katie Ellis (2019) Disability and Digital Television Cultures Representation, Access, and Reception. London & New York: Routledge."
  Reads, in part "Disability and Digital Television Cultures offers an important addition to scholarly studies at the intersection of disability and media, examining disability in the context of digital television access, representation and reception."
• "Katie Ellis, Tama Leaver, Mike Kent, M, eds. (2023). Gaming Disability: Disability Perspectives on Contemporary Video Games. London and New York: Routledge."
  This book explores the opportunities and challenges people with disabilities experience in the context of digital games from the perspective of three related areas: representation, access and inclusion, and community. Drawing on key concerns in disability media studies, the book brings together scholars from disability studies and game studies, alongside game developers, educators, and disability rights activists, to reflect upon the increasing visibility of disabled characters in digital games.
• "Bree Hadley (2007) Review - Mirage, by Igneous, Australian Stage Online"
  Reads, in part "In Mirage, a performance installation by Brisbane-based multimedia company Igneous, dancer James Cunningham uses a combination of dance and data projection to draw the audience into a strange new perceptual space, in which body parts can be transposed, twinned and mirrored, providing new capacity for movement in the face of challenges to a body’s conventional structure and integrity. The work, like Cunningham’s previous collaboration with multimedia artist Suzon Fuks on The Body in Question (1999), is based on Cunningham’s experience after a motorcycle accident in 1992 left him paralysed in his left arm. Both works touch on the perceptions and realities of the human body as it reacts, recovers and rediscovers its potentialities in the wake of injury"
• New South Wales Writers Centre
• Ryan New
• “Australia Council - Grants, captured 1997”
  Australia Council (Creative Australia) grants captured December 1997. Website reads “extracted from the Australia Council Grants Handbook 1997” and includes Grant Categories: an Overview, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board, Community Cultural Development Fund, Dance Fund, Literature Fund, Major Organisations Fund, Music Fund, New Media Arts Fund, Theatre Fund, Visual Arts/Craft Fund, Awards
• "Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre - Blog captured 2019"
  Sprung!! Integrated Dance Theatre Website, captured 2019 - News (French Cafe community dance project, 'Share House' plays at Brisbane Anywhere Festival May, Sprung!! makes finals for an Australian Dance Award, Sprung!! Appoints a new Business Manager)
• "Focus on Ability, Short Film Festival winners list 2020"
  Focus on Ability Short Film Festival, captured 2025 - webpage listing 2020 award winners - includes IAUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND SCHOOL SECTION (Yarraville Special Developmental School (VIC) - ' I Am (Also) Robot'; Al-Taqwa College (VIC) - Ammar's Wonderful World of Dyslexia; Anxiety Holds Me Captive - Taylah Bell), AUSTRALIAN OPEN ENTRANTS (Zoe Fraser - A Gift; The Brilliant Production Team – Brilliant; Isaac Doman - I'm Still Me; Sebastian Youssef - My Brother Sam; Vanessa Star - One Size Fits All; Zoe Fraser - A Gift; Jared Hargreaves - The Girl; Sally Newman - Heart Strings)
• "Focus on Ability, Short Film Festival winners list 2021"
  Focus on Ability Short Film Festival, captured 2025 - webpage listing 2021 award winners - Includes AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND SCHOOL SECTION (St Matthews Catholic School (NSW) - The Monsters of the Mind; Al-Taqwa College (VIC) - Optism: A Tale of Unbreakable Friendship) AUSTRALIAN OPEN ENTRANTS (The Sunshine Troupe (QLD) – Luminosity; Alex Sideratos (NSW) - More to Me; Clay Antonio (VIC) - Life Without Mum; Tina A.Wake (NSW) - I'm Super; Ian Heydon in What's in a Name; Michael Wilkop - The Robot; Nathan Mewett & Chris Taylor - Yulubidyu - Until the End)
• "Accessible Arts - Creative Initiatives, captured 2022"
  Accessible Arts - Creative Initiatives - reads, in part "The unique perspectives and experiences of artists with disability – as well as the intersection of cultural identities across all types of disability – present exciting avenues for new artistic possibilities right across the spectrum of visual, performing, literary, screen and digital arts. We’re here to work with arts and cultural organisations, government agencies and other funding partners to deliver creative initiatives focused on providing development and production opportunities for all kinds of artists with disability or who are d/Deaf."
• "Focus on Ability, Short Film Festival winners list 2022"
  Focus on Ability Short Film Festival, captured 2025 - webpage listing 2022 award winners - includes AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND SCHOOL SECTION (Bonnet Bay Public School (NSW) - The Marrakesh Treaty; East Hills Boys High School (NSW) – Resilience; St John Vianney's Primary School (QLD) - About Me; The Fabulous Players of the Mount Ommaney Special School Drama Elective (QLD)), AUSTRALIAN OPEN ENTRANTS (Nikhia Trask (QLD) - Rylan's Story - Autism is not a choice; Peter Renzullo (WA) - Note To Self; Lenny Seberry (QLD) - A Day in the Life of; Satara Uthayakumaran (NSW) - A Heavenly Piece of Art; Jessica Trueman in A Bold Choice; Ashleigh Smart - Not Your Average Joe; The Rogues Den Studios – Filmception; Emma Barry - Wait, What?)
• "Interview with Gayle Kennedy"