Deaf and Disabled leaders from around Australia are gathering in Melbourne/Naarm.
Michael Chan, Ebony Wightman, Rafeif Ismail, Irene Holub, Anna Molnar, Beau Windon, Margot Morales, Jeremy Hawkes, Harmonie Downes from the Evolving residency in front of the AAV offices. Photograph: Kate Disher - Quill.
The Evolving Arts and Disability in Australia Residency is a partnership between Arts Access Victoria and DADAA with support from the Australia Council for the Arts. It is a week of critical conversations to help inform future directions in arts practice and advocacy.
Over 80 current and future Deaf and Disabled leaders applied to be part of the residency. 9 Deaf and Disabled leaders were selected and begin the residency program today.
‘This is a key moment for our sector. We are confronting the challenges of changed conditions in the arts since the emergence of the pandemic.’ Says Arts Access Victoria CEO and Artistic Director Caroline Bowditch.
‘We are confident that this powerhouse of leaders will make a valuable contribution to future directions for the sector.’ Says Caroline.
DADDA Executive Director David Doyle comments, ‘The response to the Evolve EOI was significant in terms of cross art form practice, national spread and expressed the depth of politic around our sector. There is an urgency around Arts and Disability nationally and internationally we together with AAV are excited to part of this artist driven change.’
Residency participants are:
– Michael Chan
– Ebony Wightman,
– Rafeif Ismail,
– Irene Holub,
– Anna Molnar,
– Beau Windon,
– Margot Morales,
– Jeremy Hawkes, and
– Harmonie Downes.
Guest speakers include Janice Florence, Heidi Everett, Fiona Tuomy, Kath Duncan, Gaelle Mellis, Gayle Kennedy.
The residency runs Monday 7 August – Friday 11 August.
