Accessible Arts & Culture

Has one of your New Year's resolutions been to include more culture in your 2014?

We’ve put together a guide on a few things that might interest you in the coming year. We’ll start off with the Sydney Festival which gets underway in just a couple days’ time.

Sydney Festival

Sydney Festival supports the Companion Card program and will issue a second ticket at no cost to a Companion Card cardholder. Please contact Sydney Festival directly to assist with your booking on 02 8248 6500 or email access@sydneyfestival.org.au.

Most of the venues for Sydney Festival performances are accessible for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility. There’s lots of free events too. Double check the venues via the Sydney Festival website.

Festival in the Domain
For performances in the Domain, limited parking spaces will be available for Mobility Parking Scheme Permit Holders and must be booked before the event on 02 8006 5700. An accessible viewing area for patrons with disability is located on the eastern side of The Domain between Tower 6 and 7.

Sacrilege
On Tuesday 14 January and Tuesday 22 January between 9am-10am there will be a Baby Bounce and Accessibility session. These sessions are for parents with young children that can't yet stand independently and people with a disability and their companions.

(Bounce enthusiasts with young children or access requirements will also be catered for every day Sacrilege is open. If you can't make the Baby Bounce and Accessibility session feel free to visit at any time and make yourself known to the Audience Marshall and arrangements will be made to facilitate access).
 
Please note that Sydney Festival staff are unable to provide mobility or other types of physical assistance. If you need assistance please bring a support person with you.

The following performances in the 2014 Festival will be audio described:

Black Diggers Audio described performance: January 26 at 5pm, with a tactile tour at 3pm. Bookings essential.

Dido & Aeneas  Audio described performance: January 19 at 5pm, with a combined tactile tour and audio description at 3pm (please note that the performance itself will also now be audio described). Bookings essential. Pre-show notes, libretto and synopsis will be sent out 48 hours prior to the performance. Please advise if you would like to make use of this service when booking your tickets so that you can be allocated a seat with a good view of the captioning screens.

The following Sydney Festival performances in 2014 will be captioned:

Bullet Catch Monday January 20 at 7.30pm

Surtitled Performances - A number of foreign language performances will also be fully surtitled (the translation of dialogue only onto a screen above the stage):

His Music Burns, Carriageworks Bay 17, performed in English and French with English surtitles

Lao Qiang, Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre, performed in Shaanxi dialect with Chinese and English surtitles.

La Voix Humaine, Carriageworks Bay 17, performed in Dutch with English surtitles

The Turk in Italy, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House, performed in Italian with English surtitles

For further information and to find out what else is on visit www.sydneyfestival.org.au

Opera House

The Sydney Opera House features accessible theatres for wheelchair users and the Companion Card is accepted for all performances at Sydney Opera House. The Opera House has a number of its performances throughout the year accompanied by audio description, open captions, and Auslan interpretation. 

They also feature throughout the year Accessible Performance for Kids. This includes audio description and Autism friendly performance.

The Autism friendly performances are provided in a supportive and non-judgemental environment with slight modifications to sound and lighting, downloadable pre-visit social story, support aids (including fidget toys, weighted lap pads, textured mats) an open door policy and quiet areas set up in the foyer.

The following shows have accessibility options available.

Pinocchio 

Live  Captioned: Wed 23 Apr 11am
Audio-Described Performance: Fri 2 May 6.30pm & Sat 3 May 1pm
 

Note: The captions screens are visible from selected seats for this performance. When booking please ensure that you request ‘Caption Seats’.

Aston’s Stones
Sensory/Autism-friendly performance: Sat 14 Jun, 11am

The Magic Chicken
Suitable for audiences with hearing impairment: 9 – 13 July, 11am & 1.30pm

Lemony Snicket’s The Composer is Dead
Suitable for audiences with sight impairment: Sat 9 August, 12.30pm & 3pm

The Girl Who Forgot to Sing Badly
Audio-described performance: Sat 16 Aug 11am

And for the grown-ups there are accessible options available for other performances at the Sydney Opera House.

Surtitles
Surtitles in English are projected above the Joan Sutherland Theatre stage for most opera productions. Additional surtitle screens have been installed at the front of the venue so that they may be read from the wheelchair seating area and nearby seats.  This view is available from Row D, Seats 14 & 36 outwards, Row E seats 14 and 36 outwards, and from the entire row in Rows F and G. 

Some seats in the venue are not able to view the surtitles so please advise Box Office of your requirements when booking tickets.

The Opera House also features a FM Radio system to assist with hearing. Receivers and headsets are available from cloakrooms prior to the performance.

This FM radio system is also compatible with hearing aids via an induction loop. 

Throughout the year, certain productions will also have Auslan interpretation. Check the Opera House website for more details.

Belvoir Theatre

The Belvoir Theatre in Surry Hills is fully accessible for wheelchair users and accepts the Companion Card. 

For each of the Belvoir’s productions, they present one free performance for unwaged audiences. Unwaged performances are usually on a Thursday at 2pm. To claim your ticket visit the Belvoir Box Office in person from 12 noon on the day of the performance and present a Pensioner, Health Care or Veterans’ Affairs Card.

During the year certain Belvoir productions will be accompanied by audio description and captions. 

There is also a hearing loop in both theatres which can be accessed via the t-switch on hearing aids.

For further information visit the Belvoir‘s website.

Sydney Theatre Company

The Wharf Theatres, Sydney Theatres, and Drama Theatre (at Sydney Opera House) are all wheelchair accessible as well as accepting the Companion Card.

Sydney Theatre in conjunction with STC present audio-described performances of specific productions throughout the year for people who are vision impaired. Some of these performances include a workshop and tour of the set prior to the performance, to enable the vision impaired patrons to familiarise themselves with the physical aspects of the production - including the shape of the cast!

In addition, up to three productions per year are professionally signed (AUSLAN Interpreted) on stage for the hearing impaired. These services are offered with specially reduced ticket prices to encourage greater access.

2014 Season audio-described performances include: The Long Way Home, Noises Off, Pinocchio, Macbeth, Children of the Sun, Switzerland and Cyrano de Bergerac.

2014 Season Auslan interpreted performances include: Macbeth, Children of the Sun and Switzerland.

2014 Season captioned performances include: The Long Way Home, Noises Off, Pinocchio, Macbeth, Children of the Sun, Switzerland and Cyrano de Bergerac.

Hearing enhancement systems are available in all theatres. The Infrared System (available at the Drama Theatre) caters for those without hearing aids by using a headset available from the theatre's Front of House staff. The Induction Loop system (available in Wharf 1 Theatre, Sydney Theatre and Drama Theatre) caters for those with newer hearing aids or hearing aids with T switches. As some seats may be 'out of range' STC ask that you let them know your needs on your Booking Form.

For further information visit Sydney Theatre Company's website.

Riverside Theatre – Parramatta

The Riverside Theatre features wheelchair access to all venues within the complex as well as accepting the Companion Card. 

Hearing assistance via a hearing loop and earpiece / receiver is available in all 3 theatres. You can pre book this service, which is recommended as there are a limited number of units available. 

Audio description for certain performances is also available throughout the year. 

For further information visit www.riversideparramatta.com.au

Casula Powerhouse

The Centre is fully wheelchair accessible, including toilet facilities and a lift to all floors. There is also a hearing loop in the theatre. Throughout the year the Powerhouse provide many workshops and tours for people with a disability and have recently started introducing Auslan interpretation to selected theatre productions.

Casula Powerhouse runs bi-monthly art classes for people living with mild to moderate physical and intellectual disabilities. Classes are $5 per participant, carers are free.

For more information visit the Powerhouse website.

The Concourse - Chatswood

The Concourse is one of Sydney's newest arts venues, opening in September 2011. It is wheelchair accessible within all venues and stages, service desks and back-of-house facilities. There is an Assisted Listening System which is offered in the Theatre, concert Hall, foyer and bar areas. 

For further information visit The Concourse website.

OpenMi Tours

As well as the above venues featuring accessibility options, we thought we’d mention a great smart phone app that has been developed to provide audio tours in captions, and Auslan as well as audio in English.

Currently the list of venues that have supported the app through their exhibitions include:

• National Gallery of Australia – ACT
• National Gallery of Victoria –  VIC
• Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre - NSW
• Western Australian Museum – WA
• Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) – QLD
• National Sports Museum - VIC
• Mildura's Chaffey Trail - VIC
• Sydney Living Museums- NSW
• Sydney Town Hall - NSW
• Werribee Open Range Zoo - VIC
• Maitland Gaol - NSW
• Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery - WA
• Museum of Australian Democracy – ACT

For further information on OpenMi Tours visit the developer's website here.


This is by no way an exhaustive list of everything that's available, but we hope it gets you thinking about getting out and enjoying some of what's on offer!

 

All You Need to Know About Voting

You really can’t miss that we have an election coming up on 7 September to decide who will be our Government and local member for the next few years! So how do you make your voice heard and ensure things that are important to you and your community are put forward?

Before and after the election is a great time to speak or write to candidates in your local area (electorate) and raise issues important to you. A good idea is to speak to candidates from all the political parties. That person you speak to could just be the person who puts your issue before Parliament some day in the future. This is how things like the NDIS started - by people talking to politicians and telling them a better system was needed for people with disability.

Ways can you vote
There are a number of new initiatives that will assist voting to be more accessible to everyone in our community. At the 2013 federal election, voters who are blind or have low vision will have three voting options:

New telephone voting option
Voters who are blind or vision impaired can telephone the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) call centre and cast a secret vote from any location, without attending an AEC office.

Disability Discrimination Commissioner Graeme Innes

Voters must register to cast their vote by telephone. Registration for telephone voting starts two and a half weeks before election day and ends at 12 noon AEST on election day.

To register, voters need to call 1800913993. When a voter calls to register, they will be asked to select a PIN. Once registered, they will receive an acknowledgment letter at their enrolled address. The registration number can also be received by post, email, SMS or through a phone call.

Assisted voting at a polling place
Voters may choose to cast a vote with assistance at a polling place. A blind or vision impaired voter may choose an assistant to help cast their vote. The assistant reads the contents of the ballot paper then completes the ballot paper according to the voter’s preferences.

Assisted postal voting
Voters can cast a postal vote with the help of an assistant. The assistant may complete the ballot papers and envelope, but the voter must sign the envelope or make a mark as a signature.

Polling Place Voting
On election day you can go to your local polling place and complete your vote. To find out where your nearest polling place is you can search on the Electoral Commission website by suburb. It will also have a wheelchair symbol next to the listing to show that it is wheelchair accessible. Polling places open at 8am and close at 6pm sharp. 

If you’re not able for some reason to make it to a polling place on election day, then you can ‘pre-poll’ your vote at a pre-poll voting centre or divisional office in the lead up to election day.

You can find a list of pre-polling centres on the Australian Electoral Commission’s (AEC) website, or you can call 13 23 26 to find out.

How to Vote - Practice Voting
If you haven’t voted before, or you think you might need a brush up on how to do it, there is a Practice Voting Tool available on the AEC website.

On election day you will recieve 2 pieces of paper - one for the House of Representatives which is green. The other will be a big white sheet of paper which is the Senate Ballot paper. The practice voting tool lets you practice on both of these ballot papers and will check to see if you’ve done it correctly!

For the House of Representatives you number 1 to 8 (1 is your first choice and 8 is your last choice) next to the Candidate’s name.

For the Senate Ballot Paper, you can choose to vote in two ways. The first way is ‘above the line’ where you put a ‘1’ in the box for the party or group of your choice. By doing this you’re allowing the order of your preference to be determined by the party or group you’re voting for.

The second way to vote on the Senate Ballot Paper is ‘below the line’ where you can choose to fill in every box below the line in order of your preference. You must put a ‘1’ in the box beside the candidate who is your first choice, ‘2’ in the box beside your second choice and so on, until you have numbered every box. You must number every box for your vote to count.

The AEC has also put together this useful video in Auslan, captions and audio. It gives an overview on the ins and outs of voting

To find out more on how to vote on election day you can visit the AEC’s website at www.aec.gov.au  call 13 23 26 or email info@aec.gov.au.

If you are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment you can use the National Relay Service (NRS)

• TTY users phone 133 677 then ask for 13 23 26
• Speak and Listen users phone 1300 555 727 then ask for 13 23 26
• Internet relay users connect to the NRS then ask for 13 23 26.

Inclusive Arts

Here's a couple of great organisations doing some amazing work in inclusive arts. By inclusive arts we mean it's for everybody - not just a program or project which is disability specific.


Shopfront is a contemporary arts centre – a cultural network and production co-operative where all young people under 25, regardless of background or ability can create themselves.

Below is a great dance piece they have produced called Zombie vs Bird: 

http://vimeo.com/54807532

Zombie vs Bird is an examination of the conflicts that arise at home and in the schoolyard, set within the rules and boundaries of a computer game.
 

Image courtesy of theinterviewer.com.au

Another great organisation doing some cool stuff is Bus Stop Films. Bus Stop Films has a focus on creating inclusion within the film industry. So far Bus Stop has been involved with creating three inclusive films, that have been screened both nationally and internationally, these films have also picked up a number of awards including the top gong at Tropfest 09.

People with mixed abilities fulfilled roles within the cast and crew of the films showcasing their talents and ability. The films also provided our participants the chance to be involved in film making at a professional standard.

Their latest work is a short film called The Interviewer, you can find out more about it at the film's website: http://www.theinterviewer.com.au.

Pretty cool don't you think? Have you come across any other companies / organisations doing great work in inclusive arts? Let us know!

'The Ride' Movie

Image courtesy of The Ride

Have you heard about THE RIDE? Here’s the lowdown from the makers of the film:

“It’s a documentary about four Aussie blokes swapping their wheelchairs for quad bikes and embarking on the ride of their lives. The documentary charts their 5,000km adventure across the outback, as they visit the crash sites where their lives changed forever. Three men are paraplegics and one a quadriplegic, making this no ordinary road movie. Their encounters with mud, deserts, floods and exhaustion test their resilience and endurance to breaking point. Fuelled by bold humour and disarming honesty, The Ride is a wild traverse across the terrain of the human spirit, as four men make peace with the tragedy of their past”

You can check out the trailer here:

Now the makers of the doco are hoping to raise some funds to take the film on a national tour.

Here’s what they would like to do:

“Each night we'll screen the film in a new city or town, followed by a question and answer session with the cast and crew/filmmakers/one or more of the courageous men you see above. We're going to pack a van FULL of screening equipment, DVDs and t-shirts and inspire people to rise up from life’s challenges! For each screening we will team up with existing not-for-profits in the disability or road trauma sector to help us engage the local community. They can use these screenings to raise funds for their organisations.”

So there’s a couple of ways to help…

1.  Contribute to their crowdfunding campaign – http://www.indiegogo.com/theridedocumentary

2. Spread the word! Like, share or comment on their website and trailer www.theridemovie.org or Facebook page www.facebook.com/TheRideDocumentary

3.Host your own screening - it’s really important to get the word out and share the film with others.

If you would like to find out more, visit: www.theridemovie.org