Arts, access and inclusion in the national spotlight this September

The three-day program, which has just been released, is a dynamic fusion of national and international speakers, exhibitions and performances, artists-in-residence and practical workshops. Heading the program as keynote speaker is Julia Hales, a WA performer, writer and disability advocate whose show ‘You Know We Belong Together’ premiered at the 2018 Perth Festival to sold-out audiences and glowing reviews.

2018 is also the first year that the forum will be held in regional Australia.

Meeting Place is the signature event of Arts Access Australia, and was established in 2012 to build stronger linkages and collaboration between arts and disability stakeholders. Arts Access Australia’s CEO Meagan Shand said that Meeting Place creates a unique opportunity for arts and cultural organisations, disability leaders and service providers, artists with and without disability, government agencies and more, to come together to discuss and workshop topics highlighting best-practice in accessibility and inclusion.

“Meeting Place is an essential forum for any organisation working in the arts,” said Ms Shand. “Not only can you hear directly from artists with disability about their experiences and barriers they face, but you can workshop ways to improve the accessibility of your arts or arts organisation, plus experience a fantastic showcase of local art.”

Meeting Place 2018 will be hosted by local organisation Incite Arts. Incite Arts’ CEO Jenine Mackay said that bringing Meeting Place to regional Australia will provide a critical opportunity to engage local artists and arts organisations in breaking down barriers to accessibility in the arts.

“Recent research has highlighted that regionally based artists feel increasingly negative about the impact of their location on their creative work,” said Ms Mackay. “Regional artists can expect to earn less than their city counterparts for their creative work, and can also expect to spend longer periods in unemployment. And when you add disability into the mix, these differences are increased even further.”

“By bringing Meeting Place to Alice Springs, not only are we able to shine a spotlight on these issues, but we can shine a spotlight on local artists and help showcase the amazing art that is happening in regional Australia.”

Tickets are now on sale via the Meeting Place website. In the spirit of universal access for all, Meeting Place is free to full-time students, concession-card holders, and support workers, companions and carers.

This is the sixth Meeting Place forum hosted by Arts Access Australia, the peak advocacy body for arts and disability in Australia. The forum is designed to be held in a different location every year, with previous locations including Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth and Berlin, Germany. This approach not only broadens the opportunity for participation in the forum, but also shines a spotlight on local talent through a program that is locally driven, within a universal context.

The Meeting Place forum in Alice Springs is supported by a grant from the NT Government’s Strategic Arts Program, the Australia Council for the Arts and the Alice Springs Town Council.

Contact and interviews

Email: media@artsaccessaustralia.org

Web: www.meetingplaceforum.org

Interviews can be arranged upon request by contacting media@artsaccessaustralia.org. Interviews can be arranged with Speakers/Artists from most states and territories, excluding Tasmania and ACT.