Disability Arts History Australia

Items

• Xanthe Beesley
• "Focus on Ability, Short Film Festival winners list 2018"
  Focus on Ability Short Film Festival, captured 2025 - webpage listing 2018 award winners - Includes Open Entrant Winners (Sebastian Chan - Bus Trip; Kasimir Burgess – Paul; Nicole Molloy & Matt Watt - He Will Walk; George Holahan-Cantwell - Inclusion Makes the World More Vibrant; Lifeforce Centre For Learning - Whycroft Legacy; Carl Emmerson & Dan Sanguineti – Airlock; Sally Newman - Walk With Kindness; REDinc - Everyone Is Different, School Entrant Winners (Airds High School - Am I Special or "Special?"; Al-Taqwa College - Hear in My Shoes; Kooringal High School - We Can Do It!)
• "Focus on Ability, Short Film Festival winners list 2019"
  Focus on Ability Short Film Festival, captured 2025 - webpage listing 2019 award winners - Includes Open Entrant Winners (Winner - Victoria Thompson – Cinderella; Dane Jaeger - Game Day; Bridie McKim – Cinderella; Jack & Louise W - Jack Outside the Box; Blaise Borrer - The Adventures of Aspie Boy; Stanley Joseph – Limbitless; Jake Taylor - Pub Talk) School Entrant Winners (BLENNZ - Have you seen my lunch?; The Woden School - Labels Don't Define Us; Kogarah High School - Peter Pan - The Kogarah Re-enactment; Bailey Richards - Teen Builds A Real Lightsaber)
• "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)
• "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?)
• "Australian Film Commission created"
  In 1975, the Australian Film Commission was created, providing grants for film and television projects.
• "Undercover Artist Festival Program 2015"
  Undercover Artist Festival 2021, curated by inaugeral Festival Director Belinda Locke, including ‘People of Interest ‘by Daniele Constance, Fine Line’ with Emma Bennison, ‘ It's Not Easy Being Green’ by Karen Lee Roberts, ‘Schadenfreude’ by Alicia Jane Steele, Live Body Painting in the Green Room by Alicia Jane Steele, ‘The Rite of Spring’ by Second Echo Ensemble, ‘Ambition Road’ with David Truong and Donnelle Brooks, ‘Monster’ by Joshua Pether and Lynnette Voevidin, ‘Blonde Ammunition’ with Christina Youhanna, comedy from Thane Pullen, music from Barry Charles, ‘Putting on the Punk: Fantasy, Costumes and Photos’ with Ged Maybury, and film screenings and discussion panels
• “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.
• "Undercover Artist Festival Program Released 2021"
  Undercover Artist Festival 2021, curated by Festival Director Madeleine Little, including Lauren Watson’s Nerve, Andi Snelling’s Happy-Go-Wrong, Naavikaran’s Brown Church, Oliver Hetherington-Page’s The No Bang Theory in the ‘Creative’ program track, and work by Timothy Orton, Mitchell Runcie and Allycia Staples from The Sunshine Troupe in the ‘Community’ track.
• "High Beam Festival Program 2006"
  High Beam Festival Program 2006 reads "High Beam is a 10 day integrated arts festival showcasing work inspired by or influenced by experiences of disability. Presenting both professional and recreational artists, audiences will see many of the world's most exciting and innovative achievements in arts and disability."
• "High Beam Festival Program 2000"
  High Beam Program 2000 reads "High Beam 2000 will he launched with an opening parade and concert that promises to he LOUD. IARGE and LAVISH! Weaving a rhythmical and colourful journey along King William Street through to Elder Park where the entertainment will begin. AS 22% of South Australia’s population have a disability, High Beam 2000 Festival presents an inspiring and unique opportunity for all South Australians to discover the wealth of talent within our midst and from abroad."
• "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."
• "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.”
• “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.
• David King
• Dave King
• "High Beam Festival Program 2008"
  High Beam Program 2008 reads "Australia's international celebration of Arts and Disability - COMEDY | THEATRE| MUSIC | VISUAL ARTS | COMMUNITY EVENTS"
• "High Beam Festival 1998 Poster"
  High Beam Festival Poster 1998 reads "High Beam Festival PRESENTED BY: SPARC DISABILITY FOUNDATION in association with ARTS IN ACTION INC"
• “Arts Access Victoria – A New Millennium (early – mid 2000s)”
  Arts Access Victoria – A New Millennium (early – mid 2000s)– online artist’s register, “Artability” festival, Deaf Arts Network started in 2001, new programs including regional areas, audio description of first TV production, AAV hosted Inclusion International World Congress, The Other Film Festival started,
• “Arts Access Victoria – Art Everywhere (2010-2015)"
  Between 2010 and 2015, Arts Access Victoria (AAV) received $2.5 million to support audio description and captioning in film as part of its worth with The Other Film Festival, launched Write-ability with Writers Victoria, the mobile, accessible arts space Nebula in Melbourne’s Federation Square in 2012, and collaborated in research such as the ‘Beyond Access’ project with University of Melbourne and Dance Haptics with Deakin University.
• “Restless Dance – Annual Report 2009"
  Restless Dance Theatre Annual Report 2009 - Chair's, Artistic Director’s, Dancers’, and Company Manager Reports, Members and Board, Financials, information about productions ‘Bedroom Dancing,’ ‘Necessary Games,’ ‘DEBUT 2: The Dancers Direct,’ Reviews, Supporters
• Michelle Ryan
• "Interview with Michelle Ryan"
  Michelle Ryan is the artistic director of Restless Dance Theatre and has extensive experience as a dancer and performer. Interview Summary Michelle Ryan, the artistic director of Restless Dance Theatre, shares her journey from being a successful dancer diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at 30 to becoming an advocate for artists with disabilities. Despite her initial hesitations to perform with her disability, a positive experience dancing with a European company reignited her passion and led her to Restless Dance Theatre, where she aims to change perceptions of who can create art. Michelle emphasizes the importance of providing professional opportunities and proper compensation for disabled artists, challenging the notion that disability work is charity or hobbyist. She advocates for representation that is genuine and not tokenistic, ensuring the inclusion of people with disabilities is meaningful and respectful.
• “The first Focus on Ability film festival held in 2009”
  In 2009, the first Focus on Ability film festival was started by the CEO of NOVA Employment, Martin Wren. (NOVA is a Sydney-based disability employment service.) FOA holds events in Australia’s major cities and welcomes entries in open categories as well as a schools category and international section.