Government Policy, Reports & Funding in Disability Arts in Australia

This page includes government policy, reports, and funding programs that have influenced and impacted the development of Disability Arts / Arts and Disability in Australia.

Curated by Bree Hadley

Title
'Government Policy, Strategy, Funding' Infographic
Media
DAHA-Government-Infographic.pdf
"The Commonwealth Rehabilitation Service (CRS) established in 1941."
"1963 and 1967 sees the introduction of the Disabled Persons Accommodation Act and Sheltered Employment (Assistance) Act, respectively."
“Handicapped Persons Assistance Act 1974”
"Australia Council commissions a research study on people with disabilities' participation in arts activities"
“The Commonwealth Disability Services Act of 1986 replace the Handicapped Persons Assistance Act of 1974”
“The 1985 New Directions Report is released”
“Australia Council (1989) The Arts and People with Disabilities: A code of practice for arts organisations. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20000324231832/http://www.ozco.gov.au/publicat/Inprint.htm”
"National Inquiry into the Human Rights of People with Mental Illness Report launched in 1993"
“The Australian Government’s Creative Nation policy released in 1994”
“Commonwealth Disability Strategy launched in December 1994”
"Juliet London and Des Walsh (1995) Arts & Disability: Report Australia Council: Surry Hills."
"Making the arts work for everyone: a resource and information kit about arts and disabilities produced in 1995"
“Australia Council releases its first Disability Action Plan”
"Queensland disability fact book for arts and cultural organisations - DADAA National Network and Australia Council (1998)"
"New South Wales disability fact pack for arts and cultural organisations - DADAA National Network and Australia Council (1998)"
"Northern Territory : disability fact pack for arts and cultural organisations - DADAA National Network and Australia Council (1998)"
"South Australia : disability fact pack for arts and cultural organisations - DADAA National Network and Australia Council (1998)"
"Western Australia : disability fact pack for arts and cultural organisations - DADAA National Network and Australia Council (1998)"
"Australian Capital Territory : disability fact pack for arts and cultural organisations - DADAA National Network and Australia Council (1998)"
"Victoria : disability fact pack for arts and cultural organisations - DADAA National Network and Australia Council (1998)"
"Australia Council (1999) Access All Areas: Guidelines for Marketing the Arts to People with Disabilities. https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20080720180431/http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/publications/disability_and_the_arts/access_all_areas_guidelines_for_marketing_the_arts_to_people_with_disabilities"
"Australia Council: Australian Arts Snapshots - Disability & the Arts (2002)"
"David Throsby and Virginia Hollister (2003) Don't give up your day job: an economic study of professional artists in Australia, Australia Council"
"Mary Hutchison (2005) Making the Journey: Arts & Disability in Australia. Sydney: Arts Access Australia."
“The Victorian Government commissions ‘Picture This: Increasing the Cultural Participation of People with a Disability in Victoria’”
"Cultural Ministers Council (2009) National Arts & Disability Strategy."
“The National Disability Strategy 2010–2020 is launched and, later, Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031”
"DADAA Inc and Arts Access Australia (2012) Art Works: Employment in the Arts for People with Disability.  http://www.dadaa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Art-Works-Full-Report-Web.pdf"
"DADAA Art Works Key Findings: Employment in the Arts for People with Disability – Current Status, Barriers and Opportunities (2012)"
“Office of the Arts releases 'Creative Australia – National Cultural Policy' (2013) , is critiqued for its reference to 'tolerance' of disabled people”
"Office for the Arts (2013) Creative Australia: National Cultural Policy. https://www.arts.gov.au/publications/creative-australia-national-cultural-policy-2013"
"ArtsHub (2013) Cultural Policy fails people with disabilities-Arts Access Australia is running a campaign to get a better deal for people with disabilities from the National Cultural Policy. 20 Mar 2013, ArtsHub"
“In 2014, the Australia Council introduces its first grant specifically for artists with disabilities”
"Australia Council for the Arts (2014) A Million Dollar Commitment to Artists with Disability. Australia Council for the Arts. 28 October 2014"
"Australia Council for the Arts (2014) Australia Council Promotes Disability Leadership in the Arts. Australia Council for the Arts. 25 June 2014."
"Commonwealth of Australia (2014) National Arts Disability Strategy Evaluation 2009–2012. Canberra: Meeting of Cultural Ministers: National Arts and Disability Implementation Working Group."
"DADAA Inc. (2014). An evaluation of a year-long mentoring program for artists with disability in western Australia. Perth, Western Australia: Department of Family and Community Services."
“The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is launched”
"Carriageworks (2015) NSW Arts and Disability Partnership Launched at Carriageworks Including $100,000 Support for Two Major New Works. Carriageworks, 30 January 2015"
“Screen Australia commissions the reports ‘Seeing Ourselves’ (2016) and ‘Seeing Ourselves 2’ (2023)”
"David Throsby, Katya Petetskaya (2017) Making Art Work: An Economic Study of Professional Artists in Australia, Australia Council for the Arts, 2017."
"Commonwealth of Australia (2017) “National Arts Disability Strategy Evaluation Report 2013–2015.” Canberra: Meeting of Cultural Ministers."
"Commonwealth of Australia, 2018. Research Overview: Arts and Disability in Australia. Barton: Department of Communication and the Arts, Cultural Ministers Council. Available from: https://www.arts.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1761/f/research_overview_of_arts_and_disability.pdf."
"South Australian Film Corporation (2018) Disability Screen Strategy"
"Australia Council for the Arts (2018) Arts and Disability a Priority as Australia Council Commits Significant New Funding. 24 September 2018."
"Australia Council for the Arts (2018) Creating Pathways: Insights on support for artists with disability. 19 September 2018"
“Activism leads to a Disability Royal Commission”
"Commonwealth of Australia (2019) Key Results of the 2018 Public Consultation: National Arts and Disability Strategy. Canberra: An initiative of the Meeting of Cultural Ministers"
"Australia Council for the Arts (2022) Australia Council releases Towards Equity: a research overview of diversity in Australian arts."
“Australia Council start development of Code of Conduct for Access in The Arts”
“The Australian Government announced a National Autism Strategy in 2022”
“Screen Australia launches an access coordinator training program”
“The Australian Government launches a new national cultural policy, Revive: a place for every story, a story for every place”
"Commonwealth of Australia (2024) Equity: the Arts and Disability Associated Plan"
"David Throsby, Katya Petetskaya (2024) Artists as Workers: An Economic Study of Professional Artists in Australia, Creative Australia, 2024."
"Morwenna Collett, Gill Nicol (2024) Building Strong Foundations: Research on arts and disability needs and opportunities, Creative Australia, 2024."
"Queensland Government releases Arts & Disability Plan 2024-2026"
Image of artwork 'Gaol' by Janice Rieger

 

Image of artwork 'Gaol' by Janice Rieger