Disability Arts History Australia

Items

• “The inaugural Undercover Artist Festival, a biennial, disability-led performing arts festival, is held in 2015”
  In 2015, the inaugural Undercover Artist Festival took place. The festival was founded by Access Arts in consultation with Access Arts participants and a group of artists with disability. The festival has consistently been directed by leaders who identify as experiencing disability.
• “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.
• "Australia Council for the Arts (2018) Creating Pathways: Insights on support for artists with disability. 19 September 2018"
  Reads, in part "This report brings together findings and insights from a range of research undertaken in 2017–18 to inform the Council’s approach to future support for artists with disability."
• "Australia Council - Awards - National Arts and Disability Awards 2019-2021"
  The website reads “The Australia Council National Arts and Disability Awards 2019-21 celebrate the work and achievements of both established and young artists, and the significant contribution of artists with disability to the vibrancy of Australian arts”
• "Interview with Graham Wilfred Junior"
  Graham Wilfred Junior is a Yolngu man and artist with Incite Arts were he works with different mediums including filmmaking, writing, performing, digital art, music and painting. Interview Summary Graham, an emerging artist with spina bifida whose father inspired his passion for art, has pursued various art forms including painting, music, and digital art, and is venturing into theatre and filmmaking. His digital artwork, through the creation of the emoji app, helps teach the Arrente language, a part of his cultural heritage, and he seeks to expand his impact through acting and creating films. Graham's motivation is to both celebrate and inspire people with disabilities, aiming for recognition as an artist rather than focusing solely on his disability. Graham shares his journey with Incite Arts, highlighting his involvement in music workshops, acting classes, and script development, emphasizing the importance of representation and empowerment for individuals with disabilities, ultimately aiming to document his experiences and create impactful performances that leave a legacy to encourage others to pick up where he leaves off, ensuring the continuity of artistic expression within his community.
• "High Beam Festival Program 2004"
  High Beam Festival Program 2004 reads "Welcome to evolve High Beam 2004 – A stimulating and inspiring seven-day cultural experience for people with a disability, families, friends and support workers, artists with a disability, professionals working in the disability sector, art workers and others."
• "Una Rey (2022) Art and sensoria: Whose disability? ArtLink, 42(2), pp.8–11."
  "SENSORIA: Access & Agency is ArtLink’s effort to affect this swell by providing a platform for divergent perspectives and nuanced articulations of being an artist. Whatever the prevailing conditions. It also invites a discussion within contemporary art discourse that is not driven by fear (of getting it wrong, of ‘the other’, of adding injury to trauma). Art is our place of intersectionality: if you’re reading ArtLink, you’re already on the margins, and quite possibly on the spectrum."
• Paul Summers
• "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 1985-86"
  Australia Council Annual Report 1985-86 - discusses functions and objectives, structures, process and membership of Council, Council Committees and members, Board Members, Assessment panels, staff lists, organisation chart, main activities of Council and its Boards, and includes financial statements and lists of grants made including grants for programs, workshops, tuition and skill development for disabled people in community arts, grant for Theatre of the Deaf Playwright, travel/study grant, Braille Book of the Year award and establishing audio visual gallery accessible to deaf and blind.
• Chris Brophy
• “Access Arts establishes the SAFE Grant”
  In 2007, Access Arts established the SAFE Grant – Sacred Angel Funding Empowerment. It is a one-off grant for $1,000 to “emerging and professional artists with disability living in Queensland. It is designed to fund the costs (up to $1,000) of attending conferences, training courses, events or mentoring to help enhance an artist’s professional career.” The SAFE grant was established by Peter Vance, whose wife Marilyn passed away from angiosarcoma. In 2019, Choice, Passion, Life (CPL) “committed to upholding the legacy of Peter and Marilyn for an additional 10 years”.
• "A contemporary visual arts exhibition, Connected 2008, is presented in 2008"
  In 2008, Arts Access Victoria produced Connected 2008, a contemporary visual arts exhibition attracting over 400 entries from artists with a disability across Victoria.
• "Australia Council - Annual Report 1992-93"
  Australia Council Annual Report 1992-93- discusses objectives, organisation chart, year in review, support for artform development, main activities of Council and its Boards, and includes financial statements and lists of grants made including grants for programs, projects, writers fees and expenses and resource development
• “Melbourne venue guides published in the 1990s”
  Arts Access Victoria published the ‘Melbourne Venue Guide: A Description of Access for People with Disabilities to Some of Melbourne's Major Entertainment Venues’ in 1992. They published an updated guide in 1998: ‘The Vic Venue Guide: A Guide to Access and Facilities at Over 75 Victorian Entertainment, Sporting and Cultural Venues’. This updated guide was produced in conjunction with VicHealth and supported by Arts Victoria. The guide provided information about where to make bookings, parking and public transport, facilities and access for disabled patrons, and seating.
• "Arts Project Australia - Annual Report 2004"
  Arts Project Australia - Annual Report 2004 - President’s Report, Director’s Report, Studio Manager’s Report, Exhibitions Report, Financials - reads, in part “Arts Project Australia was founded in 1974. It had the express purpose of exhibiting the art work of people with an intellectual disability in a manner that accords therr1 the same dignity and respect as other artists.”
• “Demonstrators protest inadequate funding for disability support in Adelaide, 1992”
  On the 13th March, 1992, 100 demonstrators gathered in Adelaide to protest inadequate funding for disability support. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health, Housing and Community Services Brian Howe was “heckled” by the group outside an event at Jubilee Hall during a health care expo. Howe agreed later that year to “honour a federal government promise to expand the National Attendant Care Scheme,” that is, after another demonstration by 70 advocates outside Parliament House.
• "Ayse Collins, Ruth Rentschler, Karen Williams, Fara Azmat (2022) Exploring barriers to social inclusion for disabled people: perspectives from the performing arts. Journal of Management & Organization. 2022;28(2):308-328. doi:10.1017/jmo.2021.48"
  Reads, in part "We answer the following research question: What are the barriers to social inclusion for disabled people in the arts?"
• Connie Kramer
• "Tutti Arts - Touchy Subjects Exhibition - Promotional Card"
  Tutti Arts 'Touchy Subjects' Exhibition Promotional Card - reads, in part "Touchy Subjects breaks the rules about touching art! These multi-sensory works go beyond the visual realm, enticing you to experience them in different ways. Made by Tutti Artists, this studio exhibition is about making art more inventive and accessible for people with different levels of sensory perception."
• “The paralympic arts festival, Invincible Summer, is held in conjunction with the 2000 Paralympic games”
  In 2000, Sydney held the Paralympic games. The paralympic arts festival, Invincible Summer, featured comedy, dance, film, art, music, theatre, and street performance, featuring collaborations between artists with and without disabilities.
• "Australia Council - Annual Report 1991-92"
  Australia Council Annual Report 1991-92 - discusses objectives, organisation chart, year in review, support for artform development, main activities of Council and its Boards, and includes financial statements and lists of grants made including grants for programs, artists and playwrights in residence and resource development and an award for the Royal Blind Society's Talking Book of the Year for “Poppy”
• "Arts Project Australia - Annual Report 2002"
  Arts Project Australia - Annual Report 2002 - Management Committee, Aims and Objectives, President's Report, Director's Report, Studio Manager's Report, Exhibitions Report, Lifedrawing at RMIT, Financials - reads, in part “Since 1984 the organisation has run a visual arts studio program where people with an intellectual disability have the opportunity to work in a community-based setting, using high quality art materials, and to receive advice and assistance from practising contemporary artists.”
• “Arts Access Victoria – Annual Report 1999-2000”
• "Arts Access Victoria - The Other Film Festival, captured 2022"
  Arts Access Victoria - The Other Film Festival - reads, in part "The Other Film Festival is a groundbreaking disability-led initiative that has put Deaf and Disabled people at the centre of the Australian screen industry for almost 20 years. Founded in 2004, it is Australia’s first international disability film festival and is a major artistic program of Arts Access Victoria."