Recreation and Culture

ARTS, DISABILITY AND CREATIVE AGEING - YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY

FEDERAL CAMPAIGN 2010 - 2011

ARTS, DISABILITY AND CREATIVE AGEING - YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY

Add your support to the campaign for a $20 million investment to implement the National Arts and Disability Strategy with an additional $4 million to support Creative Ageing.

In October 2009 the Cultural Ministers Council launched the National Arts and Disability Strategy ( http://www.cmc.gov.au/working_groups/national_arts_and_disability_strategy )which describes the actions necessary to increase the low level of cultural participation by the 20% of Australians with a disability identified by the Australia Council ( http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/research/arts_participation/reports_and_publications/apr ) and Cultural Ministers Council ( http://www.culturaldata.gov.au/publications/statistics_working_group/cultural_participation/cultural_participation_by_persons_with_a_disability_and_older_persons,_2003 ). A significant investment of new money is an essential part of making the National Arts and Disability Strategy a success by directly addressing the barriers to participation. The investment will also compliment other successful activities like the Australia Councilโ€™s Disability Action Plan( http://www.australiacouncil.gov.au/about_us/policies2/disability_and_the_arts_action_plan_2008-2010 ).

Creative Ageing is an additional area of rapidly growing interest for artists, older people and aged care services though a gap in arts policy since the Australia Councilโ€™s 1995 report Older Australians and the Arts ( http://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/736017/Details ). The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2003 Survey of Disability, Ageing and Carers (SDAC) found 3.35 million people are aged 60 years and over including 51%, or 1.7 million people, who reported they have a disability. Older Australians also have significantly lower levels of cultural participation ( http://www.culturaldata.gov.au/publications/statistics_working_group/cultural_participation/cultural_participation_by_persons_with_a_disability_and_older_persons,_2003 ) than the overall population.

In response, Arts Access Australia has developed a proposal to establish a National Centre for Creative Ageing that would promote, support and pilot creative ageing activities and programs for:

There is existing evidence that involving older Australians in creative activities will have an impact on improving social, mental and physical health while also supporting the right to participate and achieve in the arts.

HOW SHOULD THE $24 MILLION BE SPENT?

Arts and Disability โ€“ $20 million over four years:

Creative Ageing โ€“ $4 million over four years:

WHAT CAN YOU DO NOW TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD?

Tell your story, why access issues are important to you and ask the Government for support.

1) Contact the Federal Arts Minister directly by phone, email or in writing to express your personal ororganisational views and support for a $24 million investment in Arts, Disability and Creative Ageing.

The Hon Simon Crean MP

Minister for the Arts

PO Box 6022

House of Representatives

Parliament House

Canberra ACT 2600

Tel: (02) 6277 7380

Fax: (02) 6273 4117

Email: S.Crean.MP@aph.gov.au

2) Download and send the attached epostcard

3) Download, adapt, post and email the attached sample Arts, Disability and Creative Ageing letter

LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ARTS AND DISABALITY?

In developing this proposal for $24 million in funding Arts Access Australia is listening to the many voices of people with disability and older Australians expressed through: The National Arts and Disability Strategy ( http://www.cmc.gov.au/working_groups/national_arts_and_disability_strategy )consultation process.

In July 2010, over 90 % of 812 of respondents to an Arts Access Australia survey agreed or strongly agreed that there is a need for:

The 733 respondents who identified their residential postcode were from: NT 15, NSW 205, ACT 23, VIC 270, QLD 54, SA 55, WA 60, TAS 51. 40% of respondents identified as having a disability, being deaf or living with a mental health issue.

In 2009 the Victorian Government released Picture This ( http://www.officefordisability.vic.gov.au/picture_this_report.htm ), a consultation and research report into cultural participation by people with disability in Victoria. Read about Arts Access Victoria's State-wide campaign here: ( http://artsaccess.com.au/accessing-the-arts/audience-industry-development/state-election/ ).

Accessible Arts NSW have published the โ€˜Speak Up: Arts & Disability Priorities for NSW'( http://www.aarts.net.au/policy-research/speak-up-arts-and-disability-priorities-nsw/ ) report, the result of a three-year consultation project with arts and disability stakeholders across NSW.

In West Australia the Disability Services Commission and Department of Culture and the Arts consulted, collaborated and have evaluated their Disability Arts Inclusion Initiative ( http://www.dca.wa.gov.au/programs/Initiatives/disability )

The South Australian Government supports the Richard Llewellyn Arts and Disability Trust ( http://www.arts.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=285 ) and has published a State-wide consultation report on the arts and disability sector ( http://www.arts.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=350#e272 ).

Arts ACT are going through a consultation and review process ( http://www.arts.act.gov.au/pages/page149.asp ) while ArtsAbility ACT have established the Generate ( http://www.generate.net.au/index.php ) Canberra arts access network and website as a way of networking and supporting individual artists.

In 2010, the Tasmanian Government has announced $1.25 million in funding to implement the National Arts and Disability Strategy ( http://www.arts.tas.gov.au/textonly.aspx?id=6314 ) and is consulting with the arts and disability sector about priorities.

Arts Access Australia members Access Arts QLD ( http://www.accessarts.org.au/ ), Arts Access Central Australia ( http://inciteya.org.au/?section=artsaca ) and rts Access Darwin ( http://www.darwincommunityarts.org.au/node/30 ) regularly evaluate their work and consult with local artists and organisations. This research informs our work nationally.

Sign up here: http://www.artsaccessaustralia.org/index.php?page=subscribe&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ARTS%2C+DISABILITY+AND+CREATIVE+AGEING+-+YOU+...&utm_source=YMLP&utm_term=Sign+up+here+for+the+Arts+Acce... for the Arts Access Australia email list and be kept up to date with this campaign.

Media interviews:

Executive Director, Gareth Wreford

Phone: (02) 9518 0561 / 0419 201 338

Email: ed@artsaccessaustralia.org

Web: www.artsaccessaustralia.org

Source and Email from: Arts Access Australia

By:
When: 7/2/2014

Last modified: Friday, 07 February 2014 06:02:58 Valid XHTML 1.1