Making the journey: arts and disability in Australia

A collection of inspiring examples of how to include people with disabilities in the arts, as participants, creators and organisers.

Arts Access Australia is a national body that brings together a network of arts and disability organisations around Australia. Together they work to increase access to the arts for the one in five Australians with a disability. One way in which they do this is to assist cultural organisations meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992. The Act requires businesses and organisations to make their goods, services and premises accessible for people with a disability. In the process a diverse range of inclusive arts projects have found support and been encouraged to expand.

In Making the journey, we wanted to celebrate these achievements and use these examples to encourage ideas for including people with disabilities in arts activities, while also encouraging people with disabilities to develop and run their own arts activities. Making the journey was specifically prompted by a desire to promote success stories and the many developments that have taken place in the lives of people with disabilities in the last 25 years. While recognising what is good we also wanted to point the way forward for further change.

The organisations discussed here represent just a sample of the projects and people who are 'making the journey' to widen perceptions of art and open it out to people who have traditionally been excluded from its practice.

The case studies have been drawn from both large and small organisations, and cover metropolitan and regional areas in all Australian states and territories.

We hope these examples will stimulate discussion amongst a general readership as well as practitioners. We also hope that they will provide inspiration for change as well as practical suggestions for it. 

Contents

Map of locations
Introduction

Section 1 - Opening doors

Ignition Theatre Training and Display Workshop
Open Art ACT
Northern Exposure
Adelaide Festival Centre

Section 2 - Making a difference

Mwerre Anthurre
Arts Roar
EASE Ticketing
Accessing the Arts: Nymagee Outback Music Festival and Bunker Cartoon Gallery

Section 3 - Make it new

Back to Back Theatre
Restless Dance Company
Pinnacles Gallery
Tutti Ensemble

Resources and contacts

Front cover photo: Ensemble members of the Back to Back Theatre Production of Mental: Rita Halabarec, Mark Deans, Darren Riches. Photo: Jeff Busby