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Newsletter :: December 2007
Image left: Cast members from Starman,
Vox Pop Music Theatre group.
As we celebrate International Day of People with a Disability on 3 December, this current issue focuses on news and events to mark this important day. We hope everyone has the opportunity to attend events and enjoy the wide variety of celebrations.
Accessible Arts News
Image: Pine Street Creative Arts Centre Project
IDPWD Arts Program Continues to Grow
In NSW the Don’t DIS my ABILITY campaign will celebrate International Day of People with a Disability, now in its 26th year. One third of the150 events held across the state have an arts component, many of whichare free. These include art exhibitions, movie screenings, dance classes, theatre performances, gallery tours and interactive music performances. As well as coordinating the arts program, Accessible Arts are presenting a visual arts exhibition called ‘Broad BrushStrokes’, showcasing the work of nine artists with disabilities who have undertaken a series of workshops and master-classes at Pine Street Creative Arts Centre, Chippendale. The exhibition will open on Thursday 6 December at 3.30-5.30 and continue Friday to Saturday 10-4pm. Formore info go to Our Projects. Find out about all IDPWD events at www.internationaldayofpeoplewithadisability.com.au
Image: Cast and crew of short film ‘The Money’
screened at AART.BOXX 07
Call Out for AART.BOXX O8 Creative Committee
AART.BOXX is an innovative arts initiative that provides a platform anda voice for young artists and creative thinkers with a disability. Accessible Arts is interested in hearing from budding artists, arts workers, curators, writers or people interested in pursing the arts to form a committee to drive and co-ordinate ART.BOXX 08. This opportunity is open to young people (under 30) with and without a disability and will provide hands on experience in organising an exciting arts event. AART.BOXX 07 was a great success when recently exhibited at the Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House, as part of the Don’t DIS my ABILITY campaign for International Day of People with a Disability. See Our Projectsfor more info on AART.BOX 07. To enquire about joining our Creative Committee contact Josie Cavallaro, Arts Development Officer. Tel: 92516499 ext 4 or email: jcavallaro@aarts.net.au
Audience Development Tip of the Month
You are more likely to receive funding for your arts event if you have considered access. Accessible Arts was a proud participant of the City of Sydney Inclusion Advisory Group. This group produced the City of Sydney Inclusion (Disability) Action Plan 2007-2011. It is now on public exhibition. The Plan outlines a number of actions including one that will result in City of Sydney cultural grants and sponsorships requiring access to events and projects for people with a disability.To download the Plan, visit the City of Sydney website: www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au. For further information about the Plan, contact Joanna Nicol, Inclusion Project Coordinator at City ofSydney, tel: 9265 9465 or e-mail: jnicol@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au.
Image: Nadia de Ceglie
Staff Movements
All staff at Accessible Arts extend their congratulations to Nadia de Ceglie, our Information Officer and her husband Nick Green who announced the arrival of their beautiful son Luca Mauro De Ceglie Green on Wednesday 7 November 2007. Nadia is on six months maternity leave and is missed in our office. We are delighted to know that all the family are doing well.
Sector News
Image: Young-Joo Byun and Scott Kenney.
‘Don’t DIS my ABILITY’ Artistic Ambassadors
Accessible Arts congratulates Young-Joo Byun, a Deaf traditional Korean dancer and advocate for people with a hearing impairment. She has been selected as one of five artistic Ambassadors for International Day of People with a Disability. Other artistic Ambassadors include Alex Jones, actor performer, Caroline Conlon, Artistic Director of the Australian Theatre of the Deaf, Scott Kenney, dancer and Ruth Cromer, actor. These individuals were chosen by the Department of Ageing, Disability & Home Care to support and strengthen the Don’t DIS my ABILITY campaign due to their outstanding achievements in the Arts.They will be attending some of the 56 arts events throughout NSW to spread the word that people with a disability can do anything.
Image: ATOD “Futures” show at Arts Activated
Conference 2007. Photo by Giselle Haber.
Summer Drama Program for Deaf and Hearing Impaired Young People
Australian Theatre of the Deaf is one of the most exciting and highly regarded Theatre in Education companies in the country. Their engaging performance at Arts Activated in September, showcased some of their young and accomplished Deaf actors. This summer ATOD are offering a school holiday drama camp for 15–18 year olds (maximum age flexible) for deaf and hearing-impaired people. The venue is the Alexandria TownHall, 73 Garden Street, Alexandria from Monday 21 January – Friday 25 January 2008 between 9.30am-4.00pm. Total fee is $30.00. Bookings are essential. Contact ATOD for booking form at email: info@atod.org.au, fax: 02 9318 2835, tel: 02 9310 1225, tty: 02 9310 1205. For more information on ATOD go to www.atod.org.au.
Arts NSW New Website Goes Live
Accessible Arts would like to congratulate Arts NSW for launching their new website. Arts NSW is the NSW Government’s arts policy and funding body. They encourage participation in, and broader access to, the arts and support artists and cultural organizations to create and present exciting and innovative work. The website enables readers to select three different font sizes which results in further access for people with a vision impairment to Arts NSW information and publications. Just go to the tools section on the top right hand side of the home page beneath the search feature. To try it out, visit Arts NSW at: www.arts.nsw.gov.au.
Image: Ever After Theatre Company.
Photo by Giselle Haber
O Brave New Tempest – Celebrates Ability!
Ever After Theatre Company are a local performing arts ensemble that are presenting a group devised adaptation of ‘The Tempest’ by Shakespeare. This performance is part of International Day of People with a Disability celebrations. The company is made up of 13 young actors who happen to have intellectual disabilities. Since 2001 the group have created at least two theatre works per year. Their moving story, artistic processes and dynamic performance contributed to the success of our recent Arts Activated conference. O Brave New Tempest will be showing at Leichardt Town Hall on Tuesday 4 December at 7pm. Entry by donation. Bookings essential. Tel: 9555 8988 or email: community@rnc.ngo.org.au
New Websites Worth a Visit
The exciting ArtStart website was launched in November, improving access for young people with a disability aged 12 to 24 to participate in creative projects and events online. ArtStart is a NSW Government initiative that builds skills and community networks through creative projects and events. Check them out at www.artstart.com.au. National Disability Services have also launched a new website atwww.ideas.org.au. It provides a high quality accessible web portal with databases for speciality disability information together with an events diary that lists disability events. A great place to submit your own event for listing.
Regional Focus
Image: Expanding Universe cast members
IDPWD Grants for an Expanding Universe
The Vox Pop Music Theatre group is a performance ensemble from the northern NSW community of Brunswick Heads. They have created an original music theatre work that is proving to be a huge success. A spell bound audience applauded wildly after the first show. The second performance will take place during International Day of People with Disability celebrations this month. This event is part of a long-termproject that has attracted a large amount of community participation including a local school, family and friends, musicians and dance professionals. Accessible Arts have contributed a small grant of $500 to support the project as part the Don’t DIS my ABILITY campaign. For more information on the Vox Pop Music Theatre group contact the Director Ollie Heathwood, Ph: 02 6680 3577
International Focus
International Day of People with a Disability Celebrations extend to New Jersey USA
Our sister city will be joining us in celebrating International Day of People with a Disability with a number of exciting events marked by a collaboration between two progressive arts organisations. VSA/NJ, is an arts network dedicated to promoting the creative power of people with disabilities. They will join with Theatre in Motion, an organisation who feature artists with and without disabilities in original productions. Their program will include writing workshops and the award winning VSA musical play, Promise in the Park and take place from 8 December to 9 December 2007. Check out their website www.vsanj.org
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