Access Arts Inc® - The Key to Success in the Arts

This was my school motto and it has stayed with me over the years. Clearly the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission is in agreement with the sentiment as they recommend that organisations develop Disability Action Plans which outline the actions they will take to provide the best possible service to the 18% of Australians who experience disabilities.

Actions which improve services for people experiencing disabilities also benefit the whole community. For example, providing wheelchair access will assist parents with prams and providing documents in audio format for people with visual impairment will also enable access for people with literacy difficulties or those who are busy and do not have time to read but may prefer to listen in the car. These indirect benefits are important to remember if you are encouraging an organisation to develop a disability action plan.

In addition, the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) requires that people with disabilities be given equal opportunity to participate in and contribute to the full range of social, political and cultural activities.

Access for people with disabilities, including access to the goods, services and facilities provided by non-government organisations, can no longer be an after-thought. The DDA is not about limited or 'parallel' access, but promotes and protects equality of access - physical, distribution of information and attitude.

Developing a meaningful action plan does not need to be time-consuming or cost an organisation the earth. There are a few simple steps to developing a meaningful, user-friendly plan. These include evaluating services provided by an organisation to see whether they are accessible to people experiencing disabilities. The evaluation should examine physical access, information access, attitudinal barriers in the organisation and staff training. Most importantly, people experiencing disabilities need to be part of the process since they are best placed to provide advice on service gaps and strategies for improvement. Resulting actions can be as simple as including people experiencing disabilities on your management committee and employing staff who experience disabilities or providing your newsletter in accessible formats.

Artists and audience members experiencing disabilities, their families, friends and carers have a lived experience and are therefore well-placed to make positive, constructive suggestions to the arts sector on service improvements which would increase access to the arts for people experiencing disabilities and the wider community. Access Arts is regularly asked to assist organisations in this regard, and we welcome organisations or individuals to contact us to discuss any concerns they have regarding access to services.

For further information regarding disability action plans, including guides for business, education and training providers and non-government organisations, visit www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/action_plans.

- Emma Bennison Assistant Director

Workshop Dates Term 3

Sound Circles Workshops - Cost $70 / term or $10 / week

Saturdays July 26th - September 13th 10am - 12pm Stores Rehearsal Room

Drumming Workshop - FREE

Fridays July 25th - September 12th 12pm - 2pm Access Arts BOA Studio

Brisbane Outsider Artists (BOA) Studio - Cost $70 / term

Mondays & Tuesdays August 4th - September 16th 10am - 3pm Access Arts BOA Studio By application only

Contemporary Dance Workshops – Cost $10 / week

Saturdays July 26th - August 16th 1pm - 3pm Stores Rehearsal Room

Drama Workshops - Cost $10 / week

Wednesdays July 30th - August 20th 11:30pm - 2pm Stores Rehearsal Room

Screen Printing Workshops - Cost $60 / term

Saturdays August 23rd - September 13th 1pm - 3 pm Access Arts BOA Studio

The Music Workshops (formerly Community Choir) – cost $10 / week

Saturdays 1pm – 3pm New Farm Neighbourhood Centre 967 Brunswick St, New Farm

Please call Access Arts on 3358 6200 to enrol in the workshops.
For more information, see the 2008 Program on Access Arts website.

Management Committee Profiles

Heidi Muenchberger - Ordinary Member

Heidi is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Griffith Abilities Research Program (Griffith University Health Institute) and has worked in the area of rehabilitation for the past 10 years. As a Clinical Neuropsychologist and Researcher, she has primarily worked with people who have experienced a life-changing neurological disorder and in 2007 completed a PhD that examined the evidence-base for rehabilitation in order to improve outcomes.

Funded by the Motor Accident Insurance Commission, Qld, Heidi's research concentrated on the impact of traumatic brain injury for individuals and their families, and vocational rehabilitation outcomes. This work informed her current full-time research agenda with Queensland Health and Griffith University, which aims to investigate model systems of care, the systemic representation of health consumers in the community, and the 'healthy places' concept. Heidi has a strong interest in understanding how creative arts practices can be implemented in community rehabilitation pathways.

Qualifications:

BBehSc (Hons) (Griff)
MClinNeuro (Macq)
PhD

Memberships:

Registered Psychologist (Qld)
Access Arts Member
ABIOS STEPS advisory member

Alan Parsons - Ordinary Member

Alan has always had an interest in the visual arts from as far back as he can remember. Craftwork, design, drawing and three dimensional creativity have always come fairly easily for Alan. After connecting with his Indigenous family that he had been separated from as a child in the late 1980’s, a new level of awareness has emerged and has energised a need to explore his ‘connections’ and to create those awareness’s through his paintings. Photography is another element of capturing the visual landscape that Alan enjoys exploring.

Music has also been a great interest and influence for him as well, so another skill he has is writing lyrics and poetry. Alan is actively involved in numerous committees and organisations ranging from the disAbility sector through to the community and environmental awareness and education. He also has experience in public speaking and workshop participation and involvement.

Alan looks forward to sharing some time with like-minded creative people within Access Arts and possibly contributing to working together on making dreams and ideas become reality to be enjoyed by others.

Access Arts New Drama Program

Using the information and ideas gathered at a focus group held on Saturday June 14th, Access Arts and experienced drama facilitator Nic Vogelpoel have developed a new, improved drama program open to anyone who is interested in developing their dramatic skills!

Term 3: 4 week trial from Wednesday 30th July - 20th August from 11:30 - 2pm. If there are sufficient numbers, workshops will continue until 17th September.

Term 4: If participant numbers are still high, term 4 will go from 8th October- 26th November 11:30-2pm.

Where: Stores Rehearsal Room, Brisbane Powerhouse, 119 Lamington St New Farm

Facilitator: Nic Vogelpoel

Cost: $10 per week

Afternoon tea and refreshments provided

Each drama program session will include the following components:

The Workshop Series - 11:30-12:30pm

All workshops will begin with a short vocal and physical warm-up.
Depending on the nature of the workshop, a theatre-sport/drama game will be introduced to the group. The activity will be relevant and fun.
The workshop plan is designed to give participants a “taster” of different areas of drama each week in order to gauge what area(s) of drama people are interested in pursuing further.
Industry professionals and experts will be invited to lead and participate in particular activities to encourage participants to make valuable connections with the professional drama world.

The Performance Troupe- 12:45-2pm

The performance troupe’s goals and intentions will be determined by the participants of the group (including the facilitator). We will collaboratively decide on the necessary framework for the group and adhere to our own expectations and goals.

For full details of the program go to Access Arts 2008 Drama Workshop Program on the Events, Projects & Initiatives page.

For more information (including a copy of the full drama program) or to enrol in the program please call Sally at Access Arts on (07) 3358 6200 or email sally@accessarts.org.au

IF Update

Perhaps if you have visited Access Arts recently you may have heard mysterious music coming from our studio space. This is the sound of IF, (Inclusion Fusion), Access Arts resident a cappella quintet comprising staff from the office. Group members Angela Jaeschke, Emma Bennison, Hayley Kitchener, Karen Roberts and Peter Vance are talented professional musicians who started singing together in late 2007 as a creative outlet during their hectic work day. The group was initially established by Access Arts as a practical way of reminding the arts community of the talent and professionalism of artists experiencing a disability. Since then, IF have developed into a tight and polished ensemble suited to performing in a wide range of settings. IF perform a range of styles including jazz, gospel and original material.

The group recently recorded a demo CD available on request from the office. To find out about upcoming performances or listen to sample tracks, visit www.accessarts.org.au/IF.htm.

Expressions of Interest Wanted for Creative Writing Workshops

Following the interest expressed by a few of our members, Access Arts would like to know if others would be interested in participating in creative writing workshops.

If they go ahead, these workshops would initially go for 4 weeks as a trial and will continue if at least 8 people attend each week.

These workshops could be in term 3, 4 or early next year depending on the interest expressed by Access Arts members and the wider community.

For those not familiar with creative writing, it is considered to be any writing, fiction or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature (this includes most novels as well as many short stories and poems. For more info go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creative_writing.

So if you have a passion for writing please contact Sally at Access Arts know on 3358 6200 or by email.

I hope to hear from you!

- Sally Josephson (Project Coordinator)

Expressions of Interest Wanted: Woodwork Workshops

Recently, an Access Arts member from the Brisbane region expressed interest in participating in woodwork workshops at Access Arts. In order to put new workshops on, Access Arts needs to get interest from at least 8 community members/ Access Arts members. As we already have a full program for term 3, these workshops would take place in term four (October - November) or early next year if there is enough interest.

So if you are interested in developing skills in Woodworking please contact Sally at Access Arts know on 3358 6200 or by email.

Caboolture Sound Circles™ Visit

Our small group from Caboolture Centacare arrived at Access Arts on Wednesday June 25th to reconnect with other Sound Circlers. We were provided with a lovely morning tea and time for a chat and get together before we gathered as one group for a Sound Circle. Some seasoned circlers emerged from the group always confident and ready to lead the way.

As the group came together we were given an opportunity to explore the seasons with our movements and our voices. I am always impressed by the ‘creation of expression’, how it evolves, and how it bumps into other forms, like movement into sound and sound into song.

The group was introduced to a warm-up which was lead by Craig, followed by each member telling the group what their favourite sound or movement was. There were so many different favourite things that it reminded me how unique we all are. After this we journeyed through Autumn, Spring, Summer and Winter with movement, sound and song. The seasons were a great theme for the Sound Circle and provided everyone the opportunity to participate as a smaller group. The visit was a great chance for some of our group to visit Access Arts for the first time.

Thanks Access Arts from Caboolture Centacare and we hope to visit again soon for the Drumming Workshop.

- Marion Hunt (Caboolture Centacare)

Visual Arts Update

Crossing Divides Statewide Exhibition

Annual Access Arts Members Exhibition

When: Tuesday 29 July - Friday 8 August

Where: Gallery 1 and 2, Metro Arts, 109 Edward St, Brisbane

Gallery hours: 10.00 am – 4.30 pm

Contact: Access Arts - 3358 6200
Metro Arts - 3002 7100

Exhibition launch: Friday 1 August 6.00 – 8.00 pm

Email: info@metroarts.com.au

Website: www.metroarts.com.au

The exhibition will be officially opened by Mr Greg Murphy, Executive Regional Director, Disability Services Qld.

BOA and Monte Lupo Group Exhibition

This exhibition is part of the Multicap Star Festival

When: Saturday 19 July

Where: Monte Lupo, 269 Padstow Rd, Eight Mile Plains

Gallery hours: 10.30 am – 2.30 pm

Contact: 3340 9000

Art from the Margins Group Exhibition

When: Friday 25 July – Monday 28 July

Where: Albert St Uniting Church, Cnr Albert and Ann St, Brisbane

Opening: Friday 25 July 6.00pm

The exhibition will be officially opened by Hon. Paul De Jersey – Chief Justice of Qld

BOA Term 3 Dates

Monday 4 August to Tuesday 16 September

Expressions of Interest: Musician

Access Arts is seeking expressions of interest for an acoustic guitarist or pianist to play at an Access Arts exhibition opening at Raw Space Galleries, South Bank on Friday 26 September for 20 – 30 minutes between 6.00 and 8.00pm. This will be a paid performance. If interested please send a demo CD with name and contact details to:

Access Arts
Expression of Interest
Raw Space Exhibition
PO Box 1034,
New Farm, QLD 4005

Alternatively, if you don’t have a demo CD you can come into Access Arts and give a live demo. For any further information please phone Angela at Access Arts on 3358 6200.

BOA Excursion Report

The BOA group visited GOMA to see the Picasso exhibition on Monday 16 June. The group had a really enjoyable day. This is the first time that this exhibition has been shown outside Europe. The Picasso exhibition is on until the 14 September.

After having lunch at the River Cafe the group then visited the Qld Art Gallery to see the Sidney Nolan exhibition. This is Sidney Nolan’s first major retrospective since the artist’s death in 1992, presents an opportunity to unravel something of the artist’s enigma and understand his essential achievement across an entire career. The Sidney Nolan exhibition is on until 28 September.

Members Corner

Angel watching over you

There's an angel watching over you
to keep you warm at night
to guide you through your day
and help you on your way

To hug you when you're lonely
and a shoulder for you to cry
to have someone for you to talk too
and be there by your side

So whenever there's a shining light
and little specks of glitter
open your eyes
and you will see
that angel watching over you...
is me :)

Harmony Blyth

Member Profile: Julie Dore

1. Q: When did you become a member of Access Arts?
Last year- I think!!

2. Q: What made you decide to become a member of Access Arts?
Because I like doing art work, and singing, and drawing.

3. Q: What areas of the arts are you interested in?
Singing - the most!!

4. Q: Which artists do you admire and gain inspiration from?
You’re (Karen Roberts, interviewer) a good singer (she says with a laugh!!) So is Emma, and Peter is too- he’s loud!! And Hayley too.

5. Q: Which particular piece of theirs do you like the most?
One of the ones you did at Open Day – when you were singing as a group (IF vocal quintet), and I said to you, you were a good singer...

6. Q: How has, or will, Access Arts aid you in your journey in the arts?
Just by belonging to a group, and doing things together.

7. Q: If you were given unlimited resources to use in your art form, what would you do?
Well, music is for everyone, and I’d make everyone happy.

8. Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years time?
In the park - The Botanical Gardens!!!

9. Q: What is your philosophy in life?
To keep trying.....

What's On

Low Cost PCs for Centrelink Customers

A partnership between WorkVentures and Centrelink now enables Centrelink customers to purchase their own professionally refurbished and internet ready Personal Computers (PCs). All Centrelink concession card holders are eligible to purchase the Pentium 4 PC pack for $250 plus delivery. Please note this pack does not include adaptive technology. Contact your local Centrelink office or phone WorkVentures on 1800 112 205.

Vision Australia partners with the ATO

Vision Australia has collaborated with the ATO, Australian Taxation Office, to make the Tax Help service more readily available to people who are blind or who have low vision. Tax Help is a community based program aimed at providing free and confidential assistance for people on low incomes with straightforward tax affairs.

Tax Help is available by appointment only. Contact the volunteer coordinator at any of the participating VA offices to organise a time that suits you. The Tax Help service is available between July 14, 2008 and October 31, 2008.

To find out if you are eligible for Tax Help and for the contact details of your local Vision Australia Tax Help Centre, phone 1300 847 466.

Blurred Lines

This new solo dance-theatre work invites you to consider the fluidity of gender, as the performer immerses herself in the iconic behaviors of queers subcultures and inhabits the skins of the high femme, the butch, the androgyne and the drag king – whilst physicalsing the subtleties of all those in between. Using contemporary dance and static trapeze, this multi-dimensional, sonic and visual journey sees the performer flung from the trapeze or pressed against walls as she finds joy, anxiety and vulnerability in the search for balance between gender stereotypes and acceptable homogenous, normality.

Performed and created by Sofia Woods in collaboration with dramaturge/theatre maker Celia White and movement consultant/choreographer Dean Walsh, Blurred Lines questions predictable resolutions and the straight lines between two points.

When: Wed August 6th -Sat August 9th 7.30pm

Where: Brisbane Powerhouse Visy Theatre, Lamington St New Farm

Tickets: $20/$25

Contact: 07 3358 8600 www.brisbanepowerhouse.org.

Visible Ink Valley

Visible Ink Valley is a part of a network of spaces provided by Brisbane City Council to young people under 26 and to organisations that support them.

Visible Ink spaces are project hubs that provide free, low-cost facilities and resources to help people get active in the life of Brisbane by organising their own workshops, projects, events, businesses and community groups. They also provide on-site support from staff that can help you plan your ideas and connect to others who can help.

The space is available for people aged 12 – 26, and to organisations that support young people, and is located at 54 Berwick Street in Fortitude Valley.

You can contact Visible Ink on 3403 0136 or by email.

What's Happening at QUT

Big Square Eye
Brisbane Festival 2008

The Block QUT Creative Industries Precinct, Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove
When: 19 July to 3 August
Info: 07 3138 5495 FREE EVENT

Getting Published
Write It

The Glasshouse QUT Creative Industries Precinct, Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove
When: Tuesday 29 July, 5-6pm
Info: 07 3138 5495 FREE EVENT

Cherbourg Time
Young Black and Deadly Art

The Block QUT Creative Industries Precinct, Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove
When: 7 to 16 August 2008
Info: 07 3138 5495 FREE EVENT

FabricSwap
Mercedes-Benz Brisbane Fashion Festival

The Shed 2 QUT Creative Industries Precinct, Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove
When: Thursday 28 August, 4-5pm
Info: 07 3138 5495 Tickets $6.50 through QTIX

Gold Coast Opportunities

Gold Coast City Council's ‘Creative and Healthy GC’ program is looking for proposals from Arts and cultural workers and performers to hold workshops and performances in parks and other community spaces. Please apply by email.

Playlab

Humorous, Hilarious, Amusing, Comical, Witty, Droll or Just Plain Funny

We are seeking SERIOUS playwrights with a desire to make audiences laugh! In 2007, MICROTRIP was launched at Metro Arts and became a big success for such a small idea. 5 actors, 7 short plays and 70 minutes of stage time, MICROTRIP was a hit with audiences. This year, MICROTRIP2 will return to the stage with new works but the same simple (and short) concept. Proudly supported by Brisbane City Council’s Creative Sparks program, Metro Arts and Playlab, MICROTRIP2 is looking for new work from Brisbane writers...

Deadline: Monday 25 August 2008

For more information contact: Jo Thomas or Sean Dennehy

Email: microtrip@optusnet.com.au

P: Jo on 0400 166 550 or Sean on 0412 257 116

Successful playwrights notified by: 5 September 2008

Asialink

Applications are open from July 2008 for the 2009 round of Asialink’s Arts Residency Program. Residencies provide an opportunity for Australian arts practitioners to spend up to four months living and working in an Asian country.

Asialink residencies offer the challenges and rewards of cultural exchange only possible through an extended stay in-country. The Asialink Residency program provides a grant of up to $12,000 towards travel, living and project expenses and provides a network of initial contacts in the host country.

The program aims to expand the experiences available to Australians in Asia, to develop projects related to the host country and to encourage on-going involvement between Australian and Asian writers, artists and organisations.

Residencies are offered in:

Arts Management
Literature
Performing Arts
Visual Arts

Request application information from:

The Asialink Centre

P: 03 8344 4800

E: arts@asialink.unimelb.edu.au

For further information: www.asialink.unimelb.edu.au/artsresidencies

Brisbane Festival 2008

Taking place over 17 glorious days and nights, Brisbane Festival will showcase artists from across the city and around the globe in a program that includes free community events, street parties, world premieres, multimedia installations, opera, theatre, dance, circus, music and everything in between.

18 July - 3 August 2008

For more information go to their website - www.brisbanefestival.com.au.

On Edge Contemporary Media & Performance - Cairns

On Edge Contemporary Media + Performance presents 9 days of dynamic, cutting edge performance, new media, sound art, contemporary dance, screen culture and cabaret in the tropics.

Now in its 4th year, On Edge Contemporary Media + Performance is an annual program of contemporary arts which strives to produce a Nationally and Internationally relevant program of independent new work, that traverses the various disciplines of performance, sound, screen, new media and installation.

July 22nd - August 2nd 2008

Full information on all artists and events can be viewed online at www.onedgeart.com. Tickets for selected shows on sale through Ticketlink, www.ticketlink.com.au, 07-4031-9555.

Crossroads

For the past 6 months the young people at Crossroads (disability support community centre) have been participating in ‘Dramatic Directions’- a drama program that has taken them through the process of devising a production that explores their life experiences and world view.

‘Slide Show Through Our Eyes’ consists of a series of short scenes which take us on a journey through their experience of prejudice, family, study, work, success, failure, and romance both personally and in society generally.

The script, PowerPoint presentation, masks, sets, promotional flyers and program have all been entirely created by these talented young people with support and encouragement from the director, support workers and program co-ordinator. We would now like to share this adventure with our families and community.

For more information contact Nicole Garner on 0418 717 866 or by email thrive07@bigpond.net.au.

Icon Creative Summit 2008 - Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Experienced!

To the wild and extreme artists, to the creative misfits, to the artists that see the world differently. To those that don't follow the creative rules and want to express, inspire, challenge and bring change, ICON Creative Summit is the creative platform for you. Entries Close 5pm EST 31st July 2008 www.iconcreative.org.

The deadline for inclusion in the August newsletter is 29th July. Please send newsletter items to Karen by email or post to Access Arts.

Access Arts Logo

Access Arts Inc (Queensland)
Ph: 07 3358 6200
Fax: 07 3358 6211
Local Call Cost: 1300 663 651
Level 1 Stores Building
119 Lamington St
PO Box 1034
New Farm QLD 4005
Web: www.accessarts.org.au
Email: info@accessarts.org.au