November 2010 - People With Disability Australia

no. 144
November 2010
ISSN 0810-5308
advocacy n education n information n complaints handling
The newsletter of People with Disability Australia Incorporated
President
Jan Daisley
President PWD
F
irst and foremost I would
like to thank the editor
Hazel Freed and the staff
who assisted her with the
last edition of LinkUp for an
excellent publication. I have
had very positive feedback on
the topic and the quality of the
publication and I congratulate
all who were involved. The
bar has been set very high for
future publications and I am
sure we at PWD can rise to
the occasion.
Arts and drama is a very
interesting concept for most
people with a disability. On
the whole the majority of
people without disability think
its impossible for people with
disability to do well in this
area, but on many occasions
I have witnessed people with
severe and not so severe
disabilities being successful
in these areas and they are
to be applauded for their
courage and determination
taking on this difficult role. I
am sure many more people
will branch out and endeavour
to do well, in this way the
sceptics will be educated
and hopefully become more
accepting of the abilities of all
people.
As the year 2010 turns the
corner into oblivion. we at
PWD have set our sights on
2011. We have had a very
successful year this year and
we look forward to continuing
success in the future.
I would like to take the
opportunity to urge you all to
get behind our Human Rights
Defender strategy so we can
expand our membership and
deliver to you (our members),
an even better service; after
all it is our aim to please and to
always put you (our members)
at the top of our agenda.
If you have any pet topics for
future editions please let us
know and we will endeavour
to fulfil your wishes.
We are trying to make
our AGMs and Members’
Events more interesting so
you can have input into the
organisation and to help us
keep the bar high.
I look forward to seeing you
all at our upcoming Forum
and AGM.
Contents
1
President
2
Guest Editor
3
National Arts and Disability Strategy
4
Member Event: Meet the Regional
Advocates
7
The Other Film Festival
8
Rudely Interrupted
10 Tiwi Dreaming
14 Intimate Encounters
14 The Little Mermaid
16 Why Arts, Recreation and Disability is important?
18 Roomies ARTSPACE
20 Why do people give?
Members’ Event and
Annual General Meeting
Mercure Sydney Hotel
818-820 George Street
Sydney NSW
(limited parking available)
Saturday 27 November
panel discussion & AGM
12 noon - 5pm
Guest Editor
I
t is, again, my pleasure as
Guest Editor to invite you to
this issue of Link Up.
I would like to thank our
President, Jan Daisley for her
kind words about the previous
issue and I would like to add
my thanks to all the staff who
helped with the last edition. I
was very pleased with the issue
and I enjoyed the pictures, all
those old friends, good to see.
There are more pictures in this
issue some new and some old
members and a celebrity.
This issue focuses on the
world of Art, Recreation and
Disability. Since people with
disabilities get involved in all
aspects of arts and recreation
this is a very big subject. We
have tried to give an overview
of what is happening in
Australia at the moment and
how people with disabilities
can get involved.
We highlight how some people
with disabilities are involved
in music, films, photography,
modelling
for
artworks.
aboriginal arts and comedy.
We have information on
NICAN, a short piece on
the importance of arts and
recreation in the lives of people
with disability and a discussion
on the National Arts and
Disability Strategy.
Back in 1981, some of our
members will remember the
emphasis on the inclusion
of arts and recreation in the
International Year of Disabled
Persons (IYDP). The NSW
government funded a large
number of performances of and
LINKUP
for people with disability. Who
could forget the performance
at the Sydney Opera House
of Aldo Gennaro’s production
called Stepping Out. Theatre
for the Deaf was funded and
produced many interesting
and moving productions in
theatres all over Sydney and
I believe they visited schools.
A group of puppeteers came
here from the USA. They were
called Kids on the Block. The
puppets all had disabilities
and told their stories to the
audience. I saw their show at
the theatre but I believe they
also toured schools. There
was a young woman who
was employed to write songs
for the IYDP. She attended
many of the events organised
by the state government but,
unfortunately I can’t remember
any of her songs.
Books were written, I can
remember two, there was
Captives of Care by John Roarty
which was the story of his life in
a large group home (Weemala)
and the struggle for people to
escape from there. This was
later made into a television
programme. In Melbourne a
book called Annie’s Coming
Out was written. This book was
influential in changing the way
governments cared for people
with cerebral palsy.
There was a radio programme
called Wheeling Free. This had
a special time slot on 2SER
FM. The people who ran it
and presented the programme
were all people with disability.
Many of our members were
No 144 ● November 2010
Hazel Freed
Vice-President PWD
involved with this, I remember
interviewing Graeme Innes on
this program and many of us
will remember the late Maruska
Hanak as a presenter and also
John Moxon.
I
am
dragging
these
recollections from my fading
memory banks, I will be 70 in
December. I am sure many of
our members will have clearer
recollections. If so you can
contact PWD and they can
be incorporated into a future
edition. I am sure there will
be an edition for the 30 year
anniversary of IYDP.
Moving on to the present,
our current President has
written several books. You
will read about the musicians,
photographers and models,
the aboriginal artists. One
of our staff is a Sydney 2000
Paralympian swimmer. The
China
Disabled
People’s
Performing
Art
Troupe
presented their work titled My
Dream around the country
through November.
You will see from this edition
that in the world of art and
recreation
people
with
disability are involved and well
represented.
National Arts and Disability Strategy:
What does it really mean for people with disabilities?
T
he arts enables us to say
who we are and describe
our place in the world. It
helps us to define ourselves,
give substance to our
notions of identity and show
what is possible. Whether
someone is a graffiti artist
or a drag king, the arts is
a means to express identity
and interpret the world.
In Australia we have a rich
and complex tapestry of
artistic practice. Yet because
of ongoing segregation and
marginalisation, people with
disability are excluded from
artistic practice.
The participation of people
with disability in the arts
as practitioners, producers
and audience members is
affected by many factors.
Access
to
premises,
transport, communication,
education and employment
are just some of the many
issues preventing people
with disability from being
involved.
People with disability are
not on a level playing field
because
of
inadequate
education and inaccessible
environments.
Increased
opportunities
for
skills
development in all aspects
of artistic endeavour in
accessible
mainstream
environments is essential.
One area of art making
where people with disability
do not fully participate is
community arts. There is
a large body of evidence
to
show
the
positive
effects in connections to
community,
health
and
well being that these
types of projects develop.
Yet people with disability
are largely excluded from
these projects because
they are excluded from the
community in general.
The Australian Government
released the National Arts
and Disability Strategy in
2009. Whilst it is reasonably
comprehensive and covers
most of the areas needed
for people with disability
to express their cultural
identity,
the
emphasis
in each of the strategies
is to identify, promote,
encourage,
investigate,
explore, examine, consider
or review rather than to
implement changes. This
type of approach relies
on the goodwill of arts
administrators,
venues
etc to do the right thing.
Generally, people wanting
to do the right thing did so
a long time ago, so now we
need to start enforcing arts
companies to take up their
responsibilities.
We should be requiring arts
organisations to not only
develop Disability Action
Plans but also to implement
them. In fact no organisation
especially large companies
should receive government
funding unless they can
clearly demonstrate how
they are implementing their
plans and how they are
succeeding in including
people with disability.
No 144 ● November 2010
Lesley Hall
CEO, AFDO
There is no goal in the
strategy which speaks to
one of the most fundamental
parts of the United Nations
Convention on the Rights
of Persons with Disabilities.
Articles 4 and 33 require
the active involvement of
people with disabilities and
their organisations in all
decision making. Disabled
Persons
Organisations
(DPOs) should be involved
in the implementation and
monitoring of the National
Arts and Disability strategy
through resourcing DPOs
or through appointments to
Arts Boards etc.
The Strategy also does not
address the key areas of
skills development. Unless
people with disability have
access to training in their
chosen field of practice they
will continue to lag behind
artists without disabilities.
Their professional practice
will not be as good and they
will miss out on funding
opportunities.
Whilst the Strategy is a
positive step forward, it
needs to have resources
dedicated to it and to be
imbedded in all the work of
the Australia Council and
government organisations.
It must involve people with
disability in both monitoring
and
implementation.
It
needs to be actioned
through a real commitment
of resources, foreseeable
timelines and performance
indicators.
LINKUP PWD September Member Event
“
Meet the Regional Advocates
I was very happy to be
invited to PWD’s Member
Event and Disability Rights
Defender launch, hosted by
TV and Radio personality
Julie McCrossin and held at
Petersham RSL on Friday,
10 September 2010.
I thought that the Master of
Ceremonies, Julie McCrossin,
was very funny and kept the
evening lively and entertaining
for everyone present.
The regional advocates were
also introduced at the event.
It was interesting to learn that
People with Disability Australia
has expanded their advocacy
services to new regions which
include Queanbeyan, Southern
Highlands
and
Southern
Tablelands, Sutherland Shire,
Bundaberg, Fraser Coast,
Sunshine Coast and Mount
Isa.
Julie interviewed each of the
advocates, who spoke about
their background and what
they hope to give to PWD and
their clients. They were all
friendly people and it’s nice
to know they are part of our
organisation. I really liked the
Lucky Door Prize section of
the event, as it involved the
audience that was present
at the event and people
really got involved. It was
fun to have the combination
of information mixed with
audience interaction.
People with Disability Australia
should also be commended
for being the first disability
rights organisation in Australia
– that I’ve seen anyway – who
also put the event onto a live
webcast!
MC Julie McCrossin with PWD Member Nidhi Shekaran
LINKUP
No 144 ● November 2010
Nidhi Shekaran
PWD Member
Continued page 6
PWD members - Ann-Mason Furmage and Fiona Given
PWD members from Western Australia - Bob and Mary-Anne Bath
No 144 ● November 2010
LINKUP I think next time they should
also include a lucky door prize
for our viewers on the web
as well. This way people who
can’t attend the event can still
have fun with those who can.
At the end of the event we
were able to stay and speak
with the PWD staff and other
Members, which was a great
way to meet new people also
passionate about disability
rights. We were also provided
with a snack and drinks
I would encourage people to
come along to PWD’s future
members’ events and enjoy
the event with us!”
Julie McCrossin meets Rhonda Perkins, Individual and
Group Advocacy Manager - Fraser Coast QLD
LINKUP
Peter Cassar (Secretary) and Jan Daisley (President)
with Matthew Bowden (Executive Director, Leadership Team)
No 144 ● November 2010
The Other Film Festival
A
ustralia’s only international
disability film festival, The
Other Film Festival recently
took place in August 2010
and by every measure was a
formidable success. Proudly
presented by Arts Access
Victoria, in association with
the Melbourne Museum, this
compelling
biennial event
screened 37 diverse films
from Australia and around the
world.
The
Festival
generated
extraordinary local, national
and international coverage
by commercial, public and
community broadcast and print
and web exposure.
...this Festival,
which has been
quietly gathering
speed since 2004,
has now become
airborne.
Audience
attendance
increased significantly and
the feedback from patrons
regarding programming quality
and accessibility has been
overwhelmingly positive. It
seems as if this Festival, which
has been quietly gathering
speed since 2004, has now
become airborne.
The Hon Bill Shorten MP gave a
powerful opening night speech
that set the tone for a Festival
that was here to do some
serious film business. Forums
were feisty, the Q&As with
filmmakers were enlightening
and the Festival Club saw
Rob Spence speaking about his Eyeborg footage at the Festival
the birth of many of the ideas
that will continue to drive the
festival forward. The singular
success of this Festival has
been the enthusiasm with
which the Deaf community
has embraced the inaugural
Deaf screening program at the
Festival.
Festival
guests
included
Canadian
director
Rob
Spence, who following the
loss of an eye in a teenage
shooting accident, developed
the world’s first miniature video
camera and transmitter inside
his prosthetic eye.
Other
guests included US standup Deaf comedian CJ Jones
and filmmaker Hilari Scarl
presenting their documentary
about four deaf entertainers.
The documentary Nobody’s
Perfect by German director Niko
von Glasow was awarded Best
Film at the Festival’s Closing
Night Awards. According to
one of the judges, Tony Sarre,
the film was chosen because
No 144 ● November 2010
“firstly, it is highly entertaining.
Secondly, it takes a risky,
uncompromising and defiant
look at disability. The film
is about people affected by
Thalidomide being persuaded
by the director to pose naked
for a calendar and then going
through with it. The film shows
how this experience changes
the participants’ perceptions
of themselves as well as the
viewers’ perception of their
disability.”
The festival now hits the road
to screen some of the best
films from the 2010 Festival
in Canberra, Brisbane and
Gippsland and on the big
screen at Federation Square
back in Melbourne.
Visit the festival website for
more information and links to
YouTube clips of the films at
www.otherfilmfestival.com
See you at the 2012 Other
Film Festival!
LINKUP It’s about the Music, not the Disability!
Rudely Interrupted Band performing
Rory’s Story
“
My name is Rory
Burnside and I am
23 years old, totally
blind and have Asperger’s
syndrome. I am also the lead
singer and guitarist in a band
called Rudely Interrupted, five
of whose six members have a
disability.
In 2004 I lost a teacher to a
20-year battle with cancer
whom I was extremely fond of.
Soon after Rudely Interrupted
was established, I had a
conversation with our manager
Rohan Brooks, during which
I asked him if it was possible
to die of a broken heart. This
LINKUP
conversation ultimately led to
the writing of our first single,
‘Don’t break my heart’, which
we launched at the East
Brunswick Club in May 2007.
This song turned out to be a big
hit and received a good deal of
radio play, particularly on Triple
R (Melbourne Independent
Radio).
Our song ‘Green Lights’ stems
from the fact that I have a
strong interest in colours.
Even though I don’t know what
colours are, I know what they
often represent and what they
mean. For example, blue is
cold, green is cool, orange is
No 144 ● November 2010
warm and red is hot, as the
lyrics to ‘Green Lights’ state. I
also associate common words
and phrases with colours. For
instance, yes is green, no is
red and maybe is orange.
It is a great satisfaction to me
to be able to put music to what
some people may look upon
as simply an obsession that
I have as a result of having
Asperger’s syndrome, because
it allows me to discuss this
subject without making people
think I’m weird or boring. When
we perform live, I explain to
the audience what the song is
about, so it engages them and
helps them understand why I
have such a strong interest in
colours.
Rudely Interrupted formed
in April of 2006 and has
performed a wide range of
shows at festivals, functions,
pubs, clubs and schools
around Australia, the USA,
Canada and the UK. Not
many bands have achieved as
much as Rudely Interrupted
in the space of four and a half
years, let alone bands with
disabilities.
Our message is
clear - See the
musician, not the
disability!
Our second major hit, ‘Close
My Eyes’, is a reflection of how
successful we’ve been since
our establishment. Touring
overseas has been a wonderful
privilege, because we are
proving to the world through
our music that disability is no
disadvantage when it comes
to musical talent.
Much of our overseas audience
were taken completely by
surprise by our story, especially
because we look so awkward
getting on and off stage, but
we want to be judged on
our music and the story it
tells, not how we look. Our
message is clear – See the
musician, not the disability!”
Rory Burnside
Rudely Interrupted
www.rudelyinterrupted.com
Marcus’ Story
“
Hi! I’m Marcus, and I’m
a member of Rudely
Interrupted. When the
band formed in 2006, I was
at Churinga Employment
Supported
Service
for
people with disabilities. I
was working as one of the
gardeners, mowing lawns
at our depot and doing all
kinds of other gardening
on site and out in the
community.
One beautiful sunny day I
was unexpectedly told by
my supervisors to come
to the office. I had no idea
what it was about, but I sat
down on one of the chairs
facing them and was told
there was a band called
Rudely Interrupted who were
looking for a musician who
could play a keyboard and
synths.
Then
they
said
they
thought I was the man who
would fit the bill! I was like
“wow!” I had never been
given a chance to play in
a band before, so I was
over the moon about it and
really excited about the
opportunity.
Soon I was living the
dream of been able to play
in a band! And quickly, the
band were no longer just
playing in the rehearsing
room or at a local show,
but in venues such as the
East Brunswick club and
The Corner Hotel.
One of our most memorable
gigs would have to be our
first ever big gig at the
East Brunswick Club. It
No 144 ● November 2010
was almost sold out, and
from the moment we got on
stage the experience was
of pure excitement!
Our first world tour began
in the US, where we
performed in New York,
followed
by
Canada,
then over to Europe to
places like Manchester,
London and Bristol. It was
fantastic, though tiring,
but we got to meet and
interact with some of our
fans which was another
wonderful experience. It
was clear they enjoyed
our performances and we
loved entertaining them! It
was great to get out there
and show the world what
we can do as musicians –
to show the person and not
the disability and that we
are a part of society just as
society is a part of us.
We had another tour earlier
this year, when we flew
to the US for a couple of
shows and then played at
our first ever music festival
outside Australia in Toronto,
Canada.
These are just some of the
amazing things I’ve done
and achieved performing
with Rudely Interrupted and
who knows what kind of
other exciting things the
future will hold! Whatever
happens, the Rudys are
gonna keep performing and
doing what they do best
- playing and doing great
shows.”
Marcus Stone
Rudely Interrupted
LINKUP Peach Bleasdale
PWD Member
Tiwi Dreaming –
the Ngaruwanajirri Inc Artists Cooperative
At the beginning of October 2010, Peach Bleasdale, a member
of PWD, travelled to Bathurst Islands, the smaller of the two Tiwi
Islands, with her husband, Michael Bleasdale, Executive Director,
Leadership Team of PWD.
T
he Tiwi Islands loomed
on the horizon as the
Arafura Pearl dropped anchor.
For a moment I felt as if I
was suspended between
the dazzling beauty of the
turquoise water of the Arafura
Sea and the bright blue sky.
...a creative
and peacful
environment
where art speaks
for itself...not just
ethnographic
curiosities.
The ferry had been full of
excited tourists and homesick
locals and everyone seemed
happy to have finally arrived
after a two hour journey over
mostly calm waters. The barge
boat arrived quickly to ferry the
passengers to Bathurst and
Melville islands. I watched as
people carrying their precious
cargo filed into the utes and
big four-wheel drive vehicles
parked neatly along the beach
landing.
We travelled to the Tiwi Islands
to visit the Ngaruwanajirri Inc,
an artists’ cooperative in Nguiu,
Bathurst Island and waiting to
meet us was Joy Naden. She
and her husband John are
adult education teachers, who
have managed Ngaruwanajirri
for the past 16 years. Michael
and I had met John and Joy on
a previous visit to Darwin, to
promote the National Disability
Abuse and Neglect Hotline.
This visit allowed us to speak
to people individually about
the Hotline and importantly, to
view the artists’ work and to
see how it was produced.
The centre at Ngaruwanajirri
is made up of a group of brick
and concrete buildings with
corrugated iron roofs. The
largest building, known as the
Keeping House, was designed
to reflect a traditional bark
shelter and serves as both
Peach Bleasdale with members of the Ngaruwanajirri Artists Cooperative
10 LINKUP
No 144 ● November 2010
Ngaruwanajirri Artists Cooperative carvings
the artists’ studio and gallery.
On the solid wooden tables,
flanked by sturdy bench seats
where the painters work, are
cups containing ochre paint.
The artists clearly
regard the creation
of art as a matter of
the soul...
On the walls are posters
depicting the artists’ individual
profiles and beautiful samples
of their work. The arched
ceiling of the Keeping House
is made up of plywood panels,
each panel painted by a
different family group from the
community in ochre colours.
A small gallery occupied one
end of the building. The shelves
on the gallery’s walls are laden
with ironwood carvings of spirit
beings lined up in rows. On a
board hung hand-painted silk
scarves in hues of rich red,
orange and blue, coin purses
and cushion covers. In the
middle of the room was a heavy
square table on top of which
were huge folders containing
intricate and detailed paintings
and drawings of the artists’
interpretation of their country,
the land and their culture
rendered in ochre on paper
and canvas.
Joy introduced us to each of
the artists encouraging us to
speak to them individually.
Joy said that most of the artists
spoke English quite well but
we had to speak clearly as a
number of them had hearing
impairments. I stood in awe
as I watched Aquin, Marie
Yvonne and Lillian paint with
delicate brush strokes.
Eventually, I plucked up
the courage to talk to Marie
Yvonne, the youngest artist in
the group, who was a little shy
and awkward. I looked at the
drawing she was working on
and began to ask her what all
the different things were. She
named the animals and plants
she liked to draw, speaking
so softly that I had to lean in
to hear her words. I tried to
repeat what she said and heard
her giggle as I got nearly every
word wrong.
I stood up and approached
Alexandrina who was painting
an exquisite batik silk scarf.
She had a beautiful round
face and a wide mouth so
her smiles were impressive
and luminous. We talked as
she waited for the wax to dry
on the silk cloth. I asked her
what inspired her creations.
She laughed and said: “I stand
up and I paint and it (art) just
comes out.”
Outside, leaning against the
wall of one of the smaller
workshops, sat a small group
of men.
These were the
sculptors and carvers. Ken
and I watched the clouds of fine
sawdust rising from beneath
an angle grinder as Graham
shaped graceful birds from a
piece of ironwood.
Continued next page
To read more online about the Ngaruwanajirri Artists Cooperative visit
www.outstation.com.au/art-centres/ngaruwanajirri-artists/
No 144 ● November 2010
LINKUP 11
Ken is the chair of the art
centre’s executive committee
which directs the organisation.
He was painting a fine crosshatched pattern on one of his
carvings when I asked what
drew him to the art centre.
He said that the only form of
income for many people in
remote communities came
from creating art. Art was part
of his daily life. There is an
oral and visual tradition in his
culture so people used and
still use drawings as a way of
telling stories to keep traditions
strong.
Ngaruwanajirri Inc. is a place
of significance and value
to the community in Nguiu.
The artists clearly regard the
creation of art as a matter of
the soul – ingrained in the
same tradition but interpreted
by each of them in their own
way.
Artists paint with
Tiwi Island ochres
which are collected
and ground by
hand.
Just as compelling were the
stories of the artists, their
personalities, beliefs and
perspectives on the world.
It is a creative and peaceful
environment where art speaks
for itself and we responded to
what we saw as works of fine
art and not just ethnographic
curiosities.
Ngaruwarranjiri is owned and
managed by the artist group
and operates as an artists’ co12 LINKUP
operative studio and gallery,
selling ochre paintings, limited
edition prints and traditional
artefacts. It supports more
than 16 artists.
All proceeds from the sales
are returned to artists and fund
the operating costs of the art
centre. Additional grant funding
has been provided for some
years by the Northern Territory
Department of Families and
Health, in recognition of the
employment
opportunities
provided to people with
disability. But the centre does
not receive any of the arts
funding that is provided to
the Tiwi Arts centre in Nguiu,
and it is reliant upon its sales
to ensure that it continues to
operate and that artists are
properly remunerated.
Artists paint with Tiwi Island
ochres which are collected
and ground by hand. Some
of this art has been purchased
by
major
galleries
or
sold
through specialised
commercial galleries all over
the country.
In 2008 Ngaruwanajirri won
a tender to carve the tutini,
(which are Pukumani poles)
marking the entrance to one
of the cemeteries in Nguiu.
These tutini are one of the
best known Tiwi artefacts,
said to represent the body of
the deceased or one of the
ancestral beings associated
with the mortuary ritual, such
as Purukupali.
The entrance to the cemetery
is marked by two massive tutini
poles, on top of which were
elaborate and finely carved
No 144 ● November 2010
barbed spears called jukwaliti.
Hanging from the point at
which the spears crossed was
a large decorated bark basket
called a tunga.
The artists had decorated
the carvings with symbolic
patterns
of
kurluwukari
(circles), pwanga (dots) and
marlipinyini (lines), arranged
in varying compositions with
the occasional incorporation
of figurative motifs.
These decorations are called
jilamara, which literally means
colour or paint, though this
term is now applied generally
to describe all designs –
particularly those used for body
painting and tutini decoration.
This vibrant, wonderful place
relies on sales of its work
for its continued existence.
The work is available from
time to time in galleries and
through exhibitions. If you are
interested in learning more, or
purchasing work directly, you
can contact Joy or John on
(08) 9878 3724.
Aboriginal
Disability
Network
www.pwd.org.au/adnnsw/
[email protected]
phone (02) 9319 1422
tty (02) 9318 2138
fax (02) 9319 1466
T
his piece which represents
the figure of Japarra,
of whom the Moon is an
incarnation,
according
to
Tiwi Creation mythology. The
story goes that an early Tiwi
ancestor, Purrukuparli, lived
with his wife Bima and his
beloved infant son Jinani. Bima
used to hunt and gather each
day for her family, but was led
astray by Japarra, the brother
of Purrukuparli, who prevented
her from returning one day to
feed her child. As a result of
the young boy being left in the
sun without nourishment for
the day, he died. Purrukuparli
was enraged by this and
hunted Bima into the bush.
He fought with Japarra, both
being seriously wounded and
resisted Japarra’s offer to take
the boy and restore him to
life after three days. Instead
Purrukuparli took the body
of Jinani into the sea, and
decreed that from that time
onwards all people would be
subject to death, rather than
enjoying immortality. Seeing
this
Japarra
transformed
himself into the Moon, where
he can still be seen, bearing
the scars of his battle with
Purrukuparli.
This piece (above) was carved from Ironwood by Graham Tipungwuti (pictured right)
LinkUp is available in other formats
If you prefer to receive LinkUp in one of these alternative formats, contact PWD on
(02) 9371-3100 or email [email protected]
Braille
Audio
No 144 ● November 2010
Large
Print
LINKUP 13
Intimate Encounters Exhibition
The Exhibition
‘Intimate Encounters’ is
a powerful photographic
exhibition of 40 works
representing
the
experiences
of
people
with disabilities. With the
assistance of Accessible
Arts and Visions of Australia,
“Intimate Encounters” has
been
touring
Australia
extensively for the past six
years and continues to tour
internationally,
showing
in
London,
Barcelona,
Seville, New York, Toronto
and Auckland.
Culturally,
disability
is
‘desexualised’ and this
exhibition
debunks
the
passive
homogenised
stereotypes about disability,
creating
new
visual
messages about sexuality
and
disability
based
in the lived realities of
individuals with a disability.
This exhibition explores
the myriad connections
between
disability
and
sexuality, challenging the
hidden (and often-at times
not so hidden) myth in
our society that only the
most glamorous, attractive
and successful among us
lead active, healthy and
imaginative sexual lives.
The Artist
Photographer,
Belinda
Mason, is a Sydney-based
photographer who worked
as a News Ltd Press
photographer,
before
becoming
a
freelance.
Belinda Mason
Since
1998
Belinda’s
work has focused on
taboo social issues which
explore the very personal
and sometimes difficult
subjects of grief, body
image, identity and family.
The Participants
The people who have
collaborated
in
this
photographic essay speak
candidly
though
the
photographic medium and
through text panels about
their experiences of their
sexuality,
representation
and
desires.
The
participants are not subject,
examples or specimens but
lovers, partners, spouses,
Continued next page
Belinda is currently working on a project called “Fertile Ground”, challenging who has the right to have a
child. All these exhibitions and additional projects can be viewed in the exhibitions section of her website
www.belindamason.com
‘The Little Mermaid’
“
I consider myself highly
privileged to be a
participant in Intimate
Encounters which explored
the topic of disability,
sexuality and body image.
It is one of the first occasions
which has enabled people
with disability to be viewed
as whole beings and being
allowed to express our
entire wants, needs and
desires.
14 LINKUP
It was a truly consultative
process. Belinda got to
know us as people. It was
an education process for
her but it’s also been an
educative process for the
participants and the people
who have been involved
in the project and viewed
the project at various
exhibitions.
Intimate Encounters has
travelled nationally and
internationally and I have
No 144 ● November 2010
Denise Beckwith
PWD Member
had the opportunity as a
participant to travel with it. It
has been an overwhelming
thing to see how viewing
the exhibition stimulates
people’s
thoughts
and
beliefs in regards to people
with disability in such a
broad way.
This
project,
for
me,
encapsulates human rights
as sexual expression and
normality is what people
with disability want and
strive for.”
and people with a full
range of desires. They
contest the hidden norms
which assume a person
with a disability has no
sexual identity or desire,
about what is “sexy” and
who among us is allowed
to feel that way, Disability
is shown as part of a
normal continuum of life
experience and only one
aspect of a person’s life.
--“We cannot argue when
someone says, I feel, it is
not our right. It is part of our
own journey to learn empathy
“In my eyes I am not disabled…My
disability is a label given to me by
society though invisible to myself.
I see pride, passion and power
as the elements of a successful
being. People say there is no
such thing as an equaliser. But
I disagree as sex is something
everyone yearns for - it is a social
freedom. Everything is possible
and nothing is normal!
The title for the photograph is
so appropriate because like the
Little Mermaid, I am searching
for freedom and things unknown.
Hopefully with the characteristics
I possess, I will find these. Like
the little mermaid wanted love, I
too yearn for that. I have been
so close on numerous occasions.
But as I have to stand up at some
point (and use my crutches to
walk) once I have met a man and
they are forced to realise I am
disabled, they seem to become
somewhat scared. I am also
responsible to a degree for my
lack of an intimate relationship
because of my independent streak
– I don’t need or want a carer
so I don’t often allow myself to
become intimately involved for
fear that one day my partner may
feel obliged to take care of my
personal requirements.”
rather than compassion. Our
own reaction to the images
exposes us to ourselves
and our ability to listen when
someone lays their naked soul
in our path.” Artist Statement,
Belinda Mason
The Little Mermaid
No 144 ● November 2010
DENISE BECKWITH
Sydney NSW Australia
Denise is a Sydney 2000
Paralympian Swimmer.
LINKUP 15
Why Arts, Recreation and
Disability is Important
I
MAGINE
if
recreation
became illegal in Australia.
Where you could not go fishing,
kick a footy on Sundays, join
a book-club, go to a café or
spend downtime with friends
and families?
Imagine if we banned travel
for the purposes of recreation
or holidays? Where you could
not board an airline or a sail a
cruise ship?
Imagine if you couldn’t even
retire at the end of it all? Every
day like the last. No holidays
or weekends. Would people
put up with it?
Not in Oz. A revolution would
surely follow. A Boston Tea
Party but with sunscreen and
a tinny. A dystopian fantasy?
The reality is that life is like
this for many people with
disabilities right now.
...people with
disabilities
mysteriously
vanished sometime
in the mid-1980s.
Consider the most vulnerable
in group accommodation with
no choice about friends they
see, movies they watch and
the places they go.
Or people with disabilities
who feel isolated from friends,
recreation or the sporting
opportunities
that
make
life worthwhile for many
Australians.
Some people with a disability
have been barred from planes,
boats, hotels, cafes, taxis,
dating agencies and other
16 LINKUP
facilities, just because they
look different, use a wheelchair
or travel with a guide dog.
Sometimes
funding
and
support structures support
work, but not recreation or do
not allow a path to retirement,
even for those of advanced
age. Causes include barriers,
poor attitudes, a lack of income
and opportunity, but above all,
the idea that this is, somehow,
not the main game.
So why do we often see access
to sport, recreation, cultural
life and tourism for people with
disabilities as second string
issues?
Well they’re not. These are
issues at the heart of our
personal liberty, development
and health. Evidence suggests
we ignore them at our peril.
Work by the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare
has shown that people with
disabilities are less likely
to be involved in social or
recreational activities.
Despite efforts to increase
participation in sport, only 28%
of those with a profound or
severe core-activity limitation
take part in activities or
spectate compared with 64%
of people without.
Significant
differences
in
participation by people with
different types of disability have
also been confirmed in recent
research by the Australian
Sports Commission.
What’s more, social isolation
is bad for you: a recent US
scientific review of 148 studies
involving 300,000 people
found those with adequate
No 144 ● November 2010
Craig Wallace
PWD Member
Craig Wallace is a past board
member of PWD and is
currently the Marketing and
Project Manager for NICAN as
well as a member of the ABC
Advisory Council.
social relationships were 50
per cent more likely to be
alive after an average followup of eight years. According
to the scientists involved,
being socially disconnected
was equivalent to smoking 15
cigarettes per day and heavy
drinking. Researchers the
world over agree that isolation,
loss of friends and shaping
connectivity are amongst
the biggest challenges - and
opportunities - facing disability
services.
In the same way, we sometimes
trivialise and ignore the arts:
yet the arts, including popular
culture, are an important mirror
in which we see ourselves
while projecting what we value
and admire to other places
and times.
Where, with a few exceptions,
are the mainstream portrayals,
the newsreaders with a
disability, the characters in
drama or opera, the people
on the island, the Big Brother
house or Masterchef or the
telling of stories from history?
Students
of
archaeology
working in the far future might
be forgiven if they concluded
that people with disabilities
mysteriously vanished some
time in the mid-1980’s. They
certainly wouldn’t conclude
that 18% of people had a
disability.
Deeper digging will reveal that
it is no accident that people
with disabilities were hiding in
plain sight. This tells the story of
our absence in other domains
as well as an ongoing lack of
respect, rights and freedoms.
Surely the time has come
to make connections and
see inclusion as a whole of
community project – one
which sees exclusion from arts,
sports, recreation, citizenship
and employment as part of the
same problem and a loss to us
all.
PWD Regional Offices
If you would like advocacy support
call us on 1800 422 015
Queensland
Bundaberg Region – Luke Gale
Office hours: Mon-Fri 11am 4.30pm
PO Box 1630 Bundaberg QLD 4670
Fraser Coast Region – Rhonda Perkins
Office hours: Mon-Thur 9am – 5pm
PO Box 642 Maryborough QLD 4650
Logan City Region – Tracey Moffatt
Office hours: Mon-Thur 9am-5pm, Fri 8am-12pm
PO Box 62 Kingston QLD 4114
Mt Isa and Lower Gulf Communities – Valerie Brown
Office hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
PO Box 1615 Mt Isa QLD 4825
Sunshine Coast Region – Catherine Hall
Office hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
PO Box 21 Buddina Post Shop Buddina, QLD 4575
New South Wales
Queanbeyan Region – Lynette Russell
Office hours: Mon-Thu 9am-5pm
PO Box 615 Queanbeyan NSW 2620
Southern Highland/Southern Tablelands – Gareth Elliott
Office hours: Mon-Thur 9am-5pm
PO Box 1254 Bowral NSW 2576
Sutherland Shire – Cath Posniak
Office hours: Mon-Thur 9am -5pm
PO Box 616 Sutherland NSW 1499
No 144 ● November 2010
Artists with disability
Contemporary
Andrea Bocelli - Singer
Chris Burke - Actor
Dale Chihuly - Glass Sculptor
Daniel Kojta - Multimedia
David Helfgott - Muscian
Dean La Spina - Visual Artist
Duncan Luke - Actor
Duncan Meerding - Designer
Gerard O’Dwyer - Actor
Greg Walloch - Performer
Jane Trengrove - Multimedia
Jesse Houts - Musician
Josh Blue - Comedian
Kath Duncan - Multimedia Artist
Luke Zimmerman - Actor
Lynn Manning - Actor
Melody Gardot - Singer
Neil Marcus - Performer
Peter Falk - Actor
Rachael Gadsden - Visual Artist
Ray Charles - Musician
Ross Onley Zerkel - Dancer
Samantha Connor - Visual Artist
Scott Trevelyan - Printmaker
Sharon Flanagan - Artist
Stephen Dwoskin - Filmaker
Sunaura Taylor - Painter
In History
Beethoven - Composer
Claude Monet - Painter
Degas - Painter
Francisco Goya - Painter
Francois Cuvillies - Designer
Henri Matisse - Painter
Ian Broughton - Visual Artist
Jacqueline du Pré - Musician
John Callahan - Cartoonist
Michel Petrucciani - Musician
Renoir - Painter
Tommy Wonder - Dancer
Toulouse Lautrec - Painter
Vincent Van Gogh - Painter
William Blake, Poet
LINKUP 17
R
Roomies Artspace
OOMIES
ARTSPACE
is a community nonprofit studio where boarding
house residents and artists
with disabilities choose to
attend for professional artistic
development.
ROOMIES ARTSPACE aims
to provide the means for these
artists to enhance skills and
artistic experience through
workshops and the opportunity
to work individually or with
volunteer mentors in a safe
supported environment.
Artwork is created in the
“Outsider
art”
tradition.
Roomies Artspace aims to
promote the acceptance and
understanding of this style of
art to the broader community
by presenting professionally
curated
exhibitions
and
participating in arts and cultural
events.
ROOMIES ARTSPACE is
an initiative of Newtown
Neighbourhood Centre and
an unfunded project of the
Boarding House Project. We
rely heavily on donations,
volunteers and fundraising to
operate.
Roomies Artspace aims to:
• Develop their personal and
interpersonal skills
• Learn artistic competencies
and disciplines
• Broaden their experiences
and social interactions
• Engage in art programs,
classes and workshops.
• Gain opportunity to work
individually or with volunteer
mentors in a safe and
supportive environment.
18 LINKUP
Roomies ArtSpace at Addison Road Centre Festival of
Arts, Culture and Environment
Artists Backgrounds
Most of ROOMIES artists live in one of the many boarding
houses that exist in the Inner- West but often go unnoticed. They
have very little money, they share rooms and often clothing and
personal possessions. They have very little privacy and no space
to themselves. ROOMIES ARTSPACE fosters the need to have
arts and cultural practices as an integral part of everyday life and
the choice to be represented as an artist in their own right.
History
ROOMIES ARTSPACE started as a series of art workshops
for residents of Inner West boarding houses in 1996 and 1997
by KANCAM (later Inner West Cultural Services). By 1999,
this developed into fortnightly art workshops at the Tom Foster
Community Centre in Newtown under the aegis of Newtown
Neighbourhood Centre’s Boarding House Project. This fortnightly
group continues today and has gone on to hold annual exhibitions
since 1999.
ROOMIES Artspace is located at the Addison Road Centre in
Marrickville and was officially opened in October 2005 by Archibald
winning artist Cherry Hood, with a sellout exhibition and a highly
enjoyable opening party.
No 144 ● November 2010
Get Involved
Roomies is looking for volunteers to run and assist art workshops
or provide one on one support as artist’s mentors. If you are
looking for a different art experience, have some spare time and
skills to share then Roomies would like to hear from you! For
more info contact Leigh or Natalie on phone (02) 9516 4755 or
email [email protected]
Support Us
Roomies is an unfunded project and would not be able to
operate without community support and donations. All financial
contributions made are tax deductible and greatly appreciated.
To read The Roomies ArtSpace Blog visit
www.roomiesartspace.blogspot.com
They will assist us in covering
rent, purchasing quality art
materials, hosting Exhibitions
and workshops and increasing
artist support. For more info
on how to support us contact
Leigh or Natalie on phone (02)
9516 4755 or email bhp@
newtowncentre.org
Recent community arts
participation and awards
• 2010 Mental Heath Matters
consumer Involvement and
engagement award
• “Roomies at the House”
exhibition
at
NSW
Parliament Fountain Court
Gallery Feb 2009
• Anti poverty week exhibition
at the Addison Road Gallery
2008
• Roomies Artspace tent at
Newtown-Festivals-Nov
2007, 2008 and 2009
• Printmaking workshops at
ROOMIES art space 2008,
2009 and 2010
Tony Camilleri “Munsters”
No 144 ● November 2010
LINKUP 19
Why do people give?
Daphnée Cook
Communications and Membership Development Manager
Who says Australians don’t have deep pockets?
Giving Australia, released a report in 2005 with the then
Department of Family and Community Services (FaCS) and the
Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS). This was one of
the first reports to show a growing trend amongst Australians to
give, and give generously, to nonprofits.
That year, donations to nonprofits was estimated to total over
$11 billion, with $7.7 billion coming from individuals. What does
this say about Australians? Well for one, it says that we’re a lot
more generous than we think! It also suggests as a group we
really care about issues that go beyond our own lives, supporting
causes that might not affect us in a material sense, but could
create the society we would like to one day live in.
Of course, there is no single correct answer as to why people
give. Indeed, for every different person there will be an array of
different reasons:
1. They are involved in the organisation or cause;
2. They believe the organisation really listens to them;
3. Their compassion is stirred and heart strings touched by the
cause;
4. They are confident that contributions are used wisely and with
care;
5. Someone they know and respect asked them to give;
6. They are clear that their gift will help the organisation
accomplish objectives they care about;
7. They understand that their gift will really make a difference;
8. They wish to pay tribute to someone through a charitable
contribution (in appreciation for, in honour of or in memory of
a particular person or event);
9. Someone they trust explains the urgency of the need;
10. They receive appropriate recognition for their gift that produces
results;
11. They want to pay a personal debt, such as contributing to
an organisation that helped them through an illness or other
crisis.
At PWD we are very excited to be receiving donations from
people who have recognised us an organisation who listens and
who they know will use their contributions wisely. We thank all
of you who give, whether it be your time, money or in-kind – your
contributions truly make a difference.
Like
to
know
more
about
donations
to
PWD?
Contact
Daphnee
at
[email protected]
or
call
(02)
9370
3100
or
visit
our
website
at
www.pwd.org.au/donations.html
20 LINKUP
No 144 ● November 2010
Contact us
LinkUp is the newsletter
of People with Disability
Australia Incorporated.
We welcome contributions
from members.
Editorial responsibility for this
edition lies with
Therese Sands, Executive
Directer, Leadership Team.
© 2010 People with Disability
Australia Incorporated
If you would like to receive
LinkUp in an alternative
format or have an enquiry
please contact PWD on one
of the contacts below.
Postal Address
PO Box 666
Strawberry Hills NSW 2012
Street Address
Ground Floor, 52 Pitt Street
Redfern NSW 2016
Phone
02 9319 6622
Toll Free
1800 422 015
Fax
02 9318 1372
TTY
02 9318 2138
TTY Toll Free
1800 422 016
Email
[email protected]
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www.pwd.org.au
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www.facebook.com/PWD.Australia
Twitter
http://twitter.com/pwdaustralia