Ross Onley-Zerkel

Position: Arts Development Officer – Deaf Arts Network

Ross Onley Zerkel is a community arts worker, hip hop dancer and an actor. As a deaf person who is fluent in Auslan, his artistic process is very much about engaging with the deaf community through the arts. Ross is the Coordinator of Deaf Arts Network (DAN), at Arts Access Victoria and has worked there since 2002. Ross has initiated and coordinated various DAN projects in collaboration with the Deaf community including Deaf Dan Dance, Street Art & Stencilling, Digital Storytelling, a Deaf visual arts exhibition, Think Tanks for the deaf community and conducted an extensive survey with deaf artists.

He is also a co-founder of the Deaf Can Dance company and is currently a recipient of the Vodafone Australia’s World of Difference program. He is now employed full time at Deaf Arts Network to manage Deaf Can Dance with the aim to develop this dance group into a professional dance company.

His acting experience includes: I Love U, an award winning film which has been shown in various festivals in Australia and worldwide (2002), a Toyota television commercial for Japan (2003), and Andrew Merlino’s Imitating Charlie (2008). Qualifications: Certificate 4 in Disability Work, Bachelor of Education degree and many short courses.