A platform for artists and advocacy

Guten tag and welcome to first edition of the Arts Access Australia blog! I write this all the way from Berlin, Germany, where I am on tour with nine incredibly talented Australian artists who are taking part in the first ever Australia & Berlin Arts Exchange Project. This 10-day festival includes a number of events, arts workshops, music, dance and performances, and is centred around the first international Meeting Place – an inclusive learning space and critical platform to discuss and debate the latest in arts and disability. Importantly, the festival provides cultural exchange opportunities between Australian and Berlin artists, and arts and culture leaders with disability.

Similar to opportunity that the Arts Exchange provides, this blog will be a space for our artists to share their thoughts and experiences on what it means to have disability and work in the arts. Such as the wonderful Sarah Houbolt, an accomplished circus and physical theatre performer specialising in aerials, acrobatics, hula hoop and sideshow – watch out for her guest blog in the coming weeks. Or our fierce and fearless artists travelling to Berlin to perform and exhibit, who face financial challenges due to the need for carers, interpreters and accessible accommodation. A crowdfunding campaign is underway to help with these costs. If you haven’t already, you can donate to the campaign here. We deeply thank those who have pledged their support already.

This blog will also be a space to advocate and celebrate disability in the arts. Art exists not only to be enjoyed, but to challenge and enhance the human experience. Art itself does not discriminate. Yet society continues to place obstacles to universal access of the enjoyment of art, as a participant and as an audience. It is our desire to achieve a world in which every human being has opportunity to communicate and connect through art.

It is easy to understand then how incredibly excited we are about the opportunities created through the Australia & Berlin Arts Exchange Project, which we are proud to co-host with our partner Berlinklusion. Over the next couple of weeks, we will provide insights into our artists’ experiences of Berlin and the Arts Exchange project. We will also explore the ideas and topics arising from the first international Meeting Place forum, making the most of this unique opportunity.

And into the future, our goal is for this blog to continue to be a dedicated space to advocate for accessibility in the arts to the benefit of all.