Storytelling is what artists do best, whether it be written, spoken or through images. Storytelling follows a tradition of the First Nations People over thousands you years. Handed down through oral tradition music and dance. Using art to tell our individual and collective stories evokes an emotional response. These responses demand action.
All of us have been impacted by COVID-19 and we have had to change the way to do things in order to protect others and save lives. Working and learning online has become the new norm. This new norm continues to pose challenges for the deaf and disabled arts community.
While kindy was cancelled and one by one competitions and group exhibition were also cancelled. I was able to present an artwork online through a gallery I work with in Brisbane and participate in webinars online to explore new ways to present and promote my work,
Unlike the majority of artists I was successful in applying for funding for both a digital project and physical project for the next 12 months. While many artists seek specific funding for artists living with disabilities, I am able to successfully compete for mainstream funding. I believe this makes my story even more powerful. I work in the mainstream artists community, while advocating for the development of inclusive art spaces.
This was a discussion held at this weeks Meeting Place. Creating social change in the arts community demands we find powerful ways to tell our stories. Social change in the arts and disability sector requires advocating in two ways:-
- Advocating for changes in accessibility to the arts and the community in general. Many deaf and disable artists feel unsupported and undervalued. On average and artist living with disability earns 40% as their peers. Characters and therefore performs with disabilities are underrepresented and when a character is disabled roles are still offered to able-bodied people. Under representation in theatre, film and television remains for all those who are disadvantaged. These statistics increase the difficulties in telling our stories in a genuine and powerful way. Stella Young often spoke of disability prawn, where disable people were labelled as inspirational for something as simple as having a job. We still struggle to loosen the chains of tokenism. Yet we also struggle as disabled people to have our needs meet. Both forms of advocacy are required because the general perception we are less.
- Advocating for the arts in general; COVID 19 has provided a stark illustration of how the arts is valued in terms of the Australian economy the arts was dismasted by the impact of COVID. Most artists are engaged on contracts and not eligible for job keeper or job seeker. Their was not assistance for the industry until the industry advocated for a lifeline. Though the arts employ more people than the sporting world it was the world that tugged at the hearts of governments and general public. The arts is one of the last industries to be opened up in a COVID plan. Many are unware of what a world looks like without arts. Television, movies, theater, music events and venues, dance companies and art galleries all closed for business and COVID still makes it difficult for some companies to operate. Once again in times of economic struggle support for the arts us warned.
Telling my own story can play a powerful role in creating social change. At the core of my heart practice is the fight for an inclusive arts cultural. I like to see myself as a pioneer, as I seek to work in the mainstream arts community. My work is rarely addressing disability issues and work closely with the Drawing Point Gallery in Ipswich and Aspire Gallery in Brisbane, I also am part of the Brisbane Rotary International Art Spectular each year and can hold my own in the open art market.
Creating art is the most powerful way I can tell my story to create social change and yet I have to struggle to ensure it is visual in the art landscape of Australia. I urge all deaf and disable people to tell their stories, in the most powerfully. But to do it authentically, don't let people hail you as a hero. Let them see your daily struggles and your pain. Tell it like it is.
Thank you to Arts Access Australia for letting me tell my story at the 2020 Meeting Place
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