Disability Arts History Australia

Items

• Gerard Goggin
• Kerry Comerford
• Martin Paten
• Nick Hughes
• Norm Horton
• Patricia Wozniak
• Peter Stuart
• Petra Kuppers
• Ruth Rentschler
• Sarah Moynigan
• Simone Flavelle
• Ted Evans
• "Tutti Arts - Website - Strategic Plan 2023-2026 captured 2023"
  Tutti Arts Annual Reports 2023-2026, captured 2023 - reads, in part "Established in 1997, Tutti Arts is South Australia’s only multi-arts organisation where learning disabled, and neurodiverse artists create visual art, theatre, music, screen, dance and experiment with art and technology. Tutti Arts has grown, changed, rearranged, and developed over time. Tutti now works with more than 200 learning disabled and neurodiverse artists, with over 340 artist engagements every week across 3 Creative Hubs (Brighton, Port Adelaide, and the Barossa), and online. Tutti is the home for renowned disability-led collectives The Sisters of Invention, Company AT and Sit Down Shutup and Watch Film & Media Festival and has supported the career paths of many disabled artists. The Tutti Arts Centre was opened in Brighton 2020. In 2022 Tutti opened a new Regional Hub in Nuriootpa."
• "Restless Dance - Our Work"
  Restless Dance Theatre website, ‘Our Work,’ captured 2020 – links to pages on history, performances, workshops, resources, gallery, shop, and bequests – information about the core Company, workshop programs, and other opportunities
• "Restless Dance - Central Workshop"
  Restless Dance Theatre website, 'Central Workshop,' captured 2020 – reads, in part, "Restless Dance Theatre presents a series of dance workshops, for people aged 15-26 years with and without disability. The workshops involve creating movement in a safe and fun environment where the participants’ ideas become dance. No experience is necessary, just the desire to take part. Workshops are open to people with and without disability and are led by highly experienced tutors in an accessible space."
• "Restless Dance - Links Workshop"
  Restless Dance Theatre website, 'Links' captured 2020 – reads, in part, "Restless Dance Theatre presents Links, a dance theatre workshop for 8-14 year olds. The workshops involve creating movement in a safe and fun environment where the participants’ ideas become dance. No experience is necessary, just the desire to take part. Workshops are open to people with and without disability and are led by highly experienced tutors in an accessible space."
• "Interview with Emiko Artemis"
  Dr Emiko Artemis is a visual artist with a PhD and a history of both solo and group exhibitions. Interview Summary Emiko Artemis identifies as a non-binary queer disabled visual artist. Emiko acknowledges their work essentially reflects their personal experiences with disability and comments on society. Despite interpersonal challenges due to disabilities, Emiko cherishes occasional collaborations, facilitated by clear structures or supportive relationships. Their artwork, often seen as "weird" to the public, aims to be thought-provoking rather than being particularly political. Emiko values the growing visibility of disability in the arts and the increase in acceptance of diversity in society. They proudly embrace their own identity as an integral aspect of their creative practice
• "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.
• "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 Gayle Kennedy"
• "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 Nick Hughes"
  Nick has worked as an actor, director, writer, artistic director, dramaturg and was the Company Manager for Restless Dance Theatre Interview Summary Nick Hughes is a retired arts administrator who has worked in various capacities within the arts industry, including as an actor, writer, stage manager, and notably as the company manager for Restless Dance Theatre. Nick gained degrees in drama, and sociology, and moved from the UK to Australia in 1973. During the interview, Nick reflects on his significant contributions to the arts and disability sectors. Despite being unfamiliar with disability arts in the beginning, Nick says he became deeply involved and committed to the field, valuing disability arts for the social and political aspects. Nick discusses witnessing first-hand the growth and development of individuals through creative expression. Throughout his career, Nick says he has seen the evolution and increasing recognition of disability arts as a legitimate and powerful art form capable of altering people’s perceptions and advocating for inclusivity and equality in society.
• "Interview with Pat Rix"
  Pat Rix is a Disability Ally and Social Change advocate, and the recently retired Founder and CEO of TUTTI ARTS Incorporated. Interview Summary Pat Rix is an Artistic Director who has made extraordinary and sustained contributions to Australia’s cultural life through her artistic practice and leadership. A significant arts contributor since 1985, Pat made her early mark through plays and music-theatre productions which drew attention to social injustice and championed social inclusion. Her journey in disability arts began in 1997 with the formation of an inclusive choir at Minda Inc. which in 2001 incorporated to become the independent multi arts organisation known as ‘Tutti’ - embodying the inclusive Italian term meaning ‘everyone’. At a time when there were no vocational pathways for learning disabled and neuro divergent people, Tutti became a national trailblazer in creating a work environment where learning disabled and neuro diverse artists could create visual art, theatre, music, film and experimental art in a way that authentically nurtured their professional growth and recognition. Pat stresses the importance of disabled artists having control over their work. She believes that art is inherently political, and that it is finding your voice, being heard and being taken seriously that contributes to any artist's success. Pat looks forward to the future evolution of disability arts and the role of technology in enabling disabled artists to develop local and global partnerships which continue to provide exciting opportunities for artistic development.
• "Access Arts Annual Report 2016"
  Access Arts Annual Report 2016 - Brisbane Outsider Artists (BOA), First Nations Projects, Visual and Performing Arts Programs, Community Workshops, Professional Development, National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Grants and Awards
• "Access Arts Annual Report 2017"
  Access Arts Annual Report 2017 - Undercover Artist Festival, Brisbane Outsider Artists (BOA), Exhibitions, First Nations Projects, Professional Development, Grants, Awards, National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)