Accessing The Arts

Access All Areas

Access when we speak about the arts is no longer about physical access for people who mobilized in wheelchairs.  In terms of the arts, access includes areas such as, transport, mobility, accessing equipment, accessing learning opportunities, communication, access information, accessing technology, having reading materials in accessible formats, and access to translators for the deaf community. These are the access barriers we seek to build bridges for at ArtISability. 

We seek to offer opportunities for artists living with disabilities including those with mental health issues to achieve their own art dreams. . . Rather than a structured program for them.  Where we can, we seek to provide choice!  We want to design the program our artists tell us they need!  In the disability sector to many decisions are made for people with disabilities. ArtISability desires to make our programs about our artists.

However not all barriers in the art world can be bridged overnight. Artists living with disabilities including those with mental health issues struggle with issues such as isolation and finanical hardships due to the costs associated with addressing access barriers, resulting from the nature of their disability. These include:

1. Accessing public places
2. Accessing places of learning
3. Accessing opportunity for skills development
4. Accessing technology 
5. Accessing accessible information
6. Accessing transport
7. Accessing support workers for formal development of skills

Not one of these issues is related to the affordability, production or marketing of their art form. The quality of the professionalism and work is not affecting in anyway.  Yet even in the art world their validity is challenged! Our artists don't need petty or charity . . . but and equal stage to compete!

In the course of our program and developing our Disability Action Plan access to affordable, reliable public transport is a constant barrier for our artists. Trains, buses and ferries are now generally accessible. However in the cases of trains - not all train stations are accessible and timetabling combined with a limit of support hours, often rules out public transport options.  Taxis even at half price is not an affordable option. The cost of my attendance at sculpture (Just in the next suburb) is doubled by my taxi fare.

Most costs of my professional development can be covered by the occasional arts development grant, but not transport.  We can not fund transport through our funding either. 

To assist with some transport costs we are seeking sponsorship or fundraising. 

For Just  $6 you can assist an artists with transport costs

           

   

 $2 from every pen we sell can go towards transport costs for our artists from the March Pilot Program to further their professional development.  We assist with transport costs to workshops, art classes, exhibitions where an artists has work on exhibit; and art groups where it is proven to link to their artistic goals.

If you or someone you know can assist by adopting an artists or buying or selling pens please let us know.   

As a result of joining the ArtISability program James has developed his professional skills in ceramics and took out 1st prize in the Ipswich Show Society Annual Awards. James has just completed some classes in ceramics held in his local community. As James can only travel interdependently by using Maxi Taxis, ArtISability assisted with his transport costs.  Your support could enable us to assist another artists to attend a class or workshop in their local community