The Disability Information and Resource Centre

The closing date for the Open Your Mind Poetry competition has been extended to 10th September 2010.

Full details on the competition, including an application form can be found here.

The 2010 South Australian Living Artist (SALA) Festival concludes on 22nd August 2010.

The SALA Festival is a uniquely South Australian event that encourages its audience to get out and view the works of emerging and established artists in traditional and nontraditional spaces all over the state.

Arts Access Australia have released the following:

Arts Access Australia is calling on the Australian Labor Party and the Coalition to invest $20 million over the next four years to implement the National Arts and Disability Strategy, with an additional $4 million for Creative Ageing, so people with disability can take their place, as artists and audiences, alongside all Australians.

“There is strong community support and a clear need to increase arts participation by people with disability” said Gareth Wreford Executive Director of Arts Access Australia

Over 90% of 812 respondents to a July 2010 survey on the National Arts and Disability Strategy agreed that access to career pathways and training opportunities are limited for artists with a disability and that improving access to the arts should be supported by dedicated funding in addition to making all arts funding programs accessible.

“Equality is fundamental” and “Disabled performers challenge society’s preconceptions about ability and aesthetics” said South Australian set and costume designer Gaelle Mellis.

Gaelle Mellis, who has a physical disability, has worked as a set and costume designer for theatre, dance and events for more than 20 years. Among many awards, Gaelle has received a 2004 Churchill Fellowship, 2002 Adelaide Critics Circle Individual Award and a 2009 South Australian Screen Award for her production design on the film Necessary Games.

Despite the success and leadership of artists like Gaelle the one in five Australians with disability have much lower levels of arts and cultural participation, and receive very little arts and cultural funding, yet aspire to create and attend art like other Australians. For this to change new money is needed to create new Australian stories and audiences.

For information on the National Arts and Disability Strategy see:

http://www.cmc.gov.au/working_groups/national_arts_and_disability_strategy

Media Contact:

Emma Bennison 0410 553 383, Chair of Arts Access Australia and artist with disability

Jane Trengove 03 8640 6012, Access Program Manager Arts Access Victoria and artist with disability

The SoundWaves Contemporary Music project, run by Tony Doyle Visions, is the new contemporary music project for people with a disability that offers a monthly performance event as well as 2 workshop sessions per month to develop your skills.

SoundWaves Events are held on the last Thursday of the month from 11am till 2pm at the Folk Centre, on the corner of South Road and George Street, Thebarton.

SoundWaves Workshops are held on the first and third Thursdays of the month at the same time and place as the Events.

The workshops on the first Thursday of the month will focus on electronic music and DJ-ing. The workshops on the third Thursday of the month will focus more on live performance, including the use of various technologies.

The Workshop on 19th August will be run by Robert Petchell and will be the usual length, from 11am till 2pm.

For more information contact Tony Doyle Visions at (08) 8212 0390 or www.tonydoylevisions.com.au.

Here is some access information for the OzCo Adelaide Funding Forum.

Wheelchair Access

The venue is wheelchair accessible. Details can be found on the Adelaide Festival Centre website http://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/afc/disablility-services.php.

The Australia Council for the Arts is the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body.

In partnership with Arts SA, the Australian Council for the Arts invites you to discover how the national funding agency can support you or your organisation. They will be holding an information session on the resources and programs they provide.

Date

Thursday 12 August, 3 – 5pm

Venue

Piano Bar
Adelaide Festival Centre
King William Rd, Adelaide

RSVP

by Wednesday 11 August here.

The next MusicWorks from Tony Doyle Visions is coming up on Tuesday 3rd August.

10.30am – 2.30pm

Governor Hindmarsh Hotel
59 Port Road
Hindmarsh

Cost: $6, carers free.

Featuring:

• Sam Willoughby – soulful acoustic roots/pop
• MC Frost – homegrown hip-hop
• Lucifer’s Lounge – groovy dance-able lounge

Have a look at the flyer.

Non-profit disability employment agency Nova Employment is holding a short film competition. Entries will focus on the ability of people with a disability.

There are three categories:

• Open entrant (open to anybody, of any age, anywhere in the world) – winner receives $5000 in prize money, runner-up receives $1500.
• Australian Schools – winning school receives $5000, runner-up receives $1500.
• Individual (for Australian school students) – winner receives $1500, runner-up receives $500.

Videos will be uploaded to the website on July 12 and viewers can vote online for their favourite video. Ten voters chosen at random will win an Apple iPod.

The video with the most online votes in each category will be declared the winner. Entries close June 30 2010.

Focus on Ability website: www.focusonability.com.au/default.asp

The Specials is an internet broadcast ‘docusoap’ about five friends with learning difficulties who share a house together. All the currently released episodes are viewable on their website.

The Specials were recent winners at the 14th annual Webby Awards.

Tutti is presenting a show entitled The Broadway Spectacular!

With the Tutti Choir and soloists, and the Unley Concert Band.

Saturday July 3rd at 7.30pm and Sunday July 4th at 2.30pm.

More information in the flyer.