Creative Australia has announced the latest recipients of the Arts and Disability Initiative, supporting ten significant and innovative projects spanning dance, visual art, theatre, music, multi-arts and literature.
The investment – totalling $300,000 – aims to extend the practice, networks, skills, and ambition of d/Deaf artists and art workers and those with disability.
Among the recipients is Geoffrey Lim, a deafblind street dance artists breaking new ground by integrating accessibility tools such as audio description and closed captions into street dance.
“This initiative will enable me to create a dance work exploring loss, while building capacity to integrate access into street dance productions. We will be able to bridge the gap of accessibility in street dance communities, ensuring they become more inclusive for all participants.”
Visual artist Sarah Tracton will also receive support to a showcase her innovative porcelain lighting designs in Tokyo. Informed by her experience of deafness, Tracton’s multidisciplinary practice explores the profound impact of lighting on the psyche, in a world shaped by soundlessness.
“Exhibiting at DesignArt Tokyo 2025 is a pivotal moment in my journey as an artist and designer. With the support of Creative Australia funding, it’s an incredible opportunity to showcase the exquisite translucent beauty of Australian porcelain on a global stage, especially in Japan, the birthplace of Kintsugi - a philosophy that profoundly shapes my work. I’m thrilled to spark a conversation about sustainability at this cutting-edge festival, galvanising a paradigm shift from a linear to a circular economy, where waste is reimagined and given a new, functional purpose.”
Executive Director Arts Investment Alice Nash said:
“The artists we are supporting through this initiative are each pushing boundaries in their respective fields, while also expanding what it means to be accessible and inclusive. Their works demonstrate the power of creativity to reshape perceptions, break down barriers and inspire change, ensuring our arts truly reflect and are accessible to the rich diversity of people, perspectives and experiences that make up our country.”
Anwen Handmer said the initiative would help her realise the goal of establishing a legacy of her work as a songwriter and performer and to share her stories of lived experience with a wider audience.
“My project ‘Gold Like Yours’ is about ability; the ability to make something beautiful from something broken. It might be a message in a bottle, or a beacon of possibility, but I hope that whomever it reaches realises that if I can, they can.”
This initiative has been developed in response to Creative Australia research involving artists and arts workers with disability, our Towards Equity: A research overview of diversity in Australia’s arts and cultural sector report, and a review of the Council’s arts and disability initiatives 2019-2021.
Media contact:
Brianna Roberts
Media Manager, Creative Australia
Mobile: 0498 123 541
Email: brianna.roberts@creative.gov.au
Background:
The recipients of the 2024 Arts and Disability Initiative are:
- Anthony Sarre (WA)
- Avni Dauti (VIC)
- Asphyxia Asphyxia (NSW)
- Anwen Handmer (WA)
- Liam Adams (ACT)
- Sarah Tracton (VIC)
- Irene Holub (VIC)
- Christine Davey (VIC)
- Matthew Ottley (NSW)
- Geoffrey Lim (VIC)
Definition of disability
People with a disability are diverse and are not defined by their disability. There is no single definition or way of capturing such complex and multidimensional experiences.
Creative Australia embraces the social model of disability, which distinguishes between impairment of the person, and the barriers in society that are disabling. These can include attitudes, discrimination, or the physical environment. This definition includes mental health.
However, not all people who experience a mental health condition identify with disability.
The term ‘disability’ can also include people who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing. However, members of the d/Deaf community may not always identify with disability and may identify as part of a cultural and linguistic group with their first language being Auslan (Australian Sign Language) or another sign language.
Creative Australia recognises the term people with disability is widely used in Australia, including by disability advocates and peak bodies. We also recognise that the term is contested and evolving, with increasing use of self-identifying terms such as disabled, including in advocacy for change. We recognise that some choose to identify with a specific community such as d/Deaf or Autistic and may prefer not to refer to themselves as disabled or as having disability. We will continue to recognise self-identification and engage in dialogue as the terminology evolves.
Contact details:
Brianna Roberts, Media Manager, Creative Australia
Phone: (02) 9215 9030 / 0498 123 541
Email: brianna.roberts@creative.gov.au
