The value of art

Life with art unthinkable 

I have an urgent matter on my mind,

I want to debate the value of art,

Don't you dare tell me, you've got no time,

For the practise of art defines who we are.

It is you'll agree art must be valued,

Whet is life without dance, song and rhythm.

It the colour of art, that paint grey skies bright.

If you ask me TV arrived in nick of time,

Now! Don't tell me, you'd never read book,

Or took in a movie while on date,

Or never heard of the creations of Captain Hook,

Or been moved beauty of Swan Lake,

Com'on you're never admired a photo,

That captures the colours so crisp 'n' bright,

Sat in wonder as some played the Chalio,

Or seen Barnes play live on a Saturday night.

This my friend is what we call art,

As creator and audience beginning o blend,

As cords to Advance Australia Fair start,

Tell for art Australia has nothing to spend.

Debbie Chilton Copyright (c)2016

NDIS - What's the fussy about goals?

As I understand it, the key goal of the National Disability Insurance Scheme is to enable people with disabilities and their families to more fully participate in the life of their community.

Funding will be tried to what you what to achieve, rather than what you can't do.  I mean, not being able to kick a ball, might be irrelevant if you want to train as a graphic artist.

Trouble is when we talk about goals - we tend to think of really big things like Studying at University or running from Cairns to Brisbane. My hunch is even though you think you don't have goals you do.  They may not be as grand as building a new house, but they are still important and as long as the their your own goals.  Then their the right goals for you.  Than is the most Import thing to understand.

No one has ever asked about my goals before?

That's ok, now the NDIA wants to know your goals, so if your being supported to play soccer and you don't want to play soccer the it's redictious to pay someone to help you play soccer.  All the NDIA wants to enable you to do to match the things you want to do with the support you need.

So if you're finding it hard to think about your choices and changes to your support under the NDIS then think about the types of activities you and your family do now.  Do you like what you're doing or do you think you'd like a change?

If you're a bit confused right now or

you're NDIS plan looks a bit messy that's ok.

My advice is to take one step at a time!

Shhh! Don't tell anyone, the NDIS will have no in pact on my goals at all.  I already have great goals.  What would like to change is how I am supported to achieve my goals. So if like me you like what your currently doing, do you not need to change you goals, you just, need to communicate what that is. If that is:-

• Continuing to live independently with in home support and personal care.
• To finish you TAFE course.
• And play for the ALARA Jetz

Then that's the information the NDIA needs to hear from you. These are your goals and they are great goals.

I would suggest when you're writing you goals you think about every area you of your life may need help with. That doesn't mean you need and will receive help through the NDIS, but it starts to give the NDIA the whole picture.

Goals to include:-

• Living arrangements
• Medical needs including mobility equiptment
• Health & fitness
• Study & work (including voluntary work)
• Sport & Leisure,

The NDIA will want to know what is the most important thing for you.  For me it is to maintain my independence and have support staff to support me live safety.  For you the most important thing might be football training and eating well.

You might like to own a small dog, but playing football is more important.  If the NDIA can't give you every thing you want, make sure you get the essentials.

If making art is important to you, and you need support to do that, Then make sure you tell the NDIA and they fully understand what that involves.

So there you go! Setting goals is just about knowing what you want.  And if that is just getting out of bed 7 days a week that's ok.  But wanting a bit more is ok too.

Opportunties

Opportunities Don't Happen We Create Them!

There are skills and things we can't learn about art by sitting in the classroom. I am most inspired when I spend time with other arts and spend time creating art with them. Often other artists enable us to see things from the perspective.

I was able to spend an 1hr with Lara from Wagga, Wagga while in Sydney.  Lara is an artist the breams with emuthasism  about her art practise.  Her passion drives her to share her 'art journey' with others.

Mieke is a textile artists I meet through volunteering with #Project Ipswich, Mieke was my team leader on this project and her daughter Kate joined the ArtISability team later in the year.

Mieke is the current artists in residence at Drawing Point Gallery,  Ipswich Art Time Supplies and is looking art the use of art in public spaces. You can roll in and catch her during her residency  until 17th June. 

So I'd encourage you all to get out an about to explore you opportunities today!

 

Tips for sharing you story . . .

How to tell your story

There are many ways to tell your story, here's a few. . .

• Everyday conversation
• Around the dinner table talk about, the art your making, other artists, what you've seen at the art gallery, ideas for your next project.
• Photos of you artwork and portfolios
• Social Media - Blogger, Facebook, Twitter and Instragam
• Website
• Local paper
• CV or Artists Bio

If your not great with words

then  you can use photos of your work.

It's a good idea to have them stored on

your smart phone.

Who should you tell?

Anyone you will listen!

Practise, Practise, Practise!

Until dad and mum tell you to go away!

What should I say?

I was born in 1967 in Ipswich,  NO!

People want to here about your art.

• How you got started
• If you went to art school
• What type of art you make
• Where do you make your art
• What does your studio look like
• Who are the artist you like
• What kind of exhibitions do you enjoy
• What you want to do next
• Competitions you have won

Telling My Story

Woven Fabric

My name is Deb and my artistic vision is to enable everyone to participate in my local arts community. My goal is to build an inclusive art community, using art to change the world one person at a time.

Art has the ability to transform and unite people from every sector of the community. In one way or another our lives involve art.  We make it, we watch others make it or we enjoy the completed product. From film to the stage or popping up on our streets. Life without art is unimaginable.

So why describe myself as woven fabric?  My creative being is the result of the people who have become part of my life and hence part of who I am as an artist. Just as I am woven by others I am continuing to weave my local arts community together.

My art journey began as a poet. Like most people art feeds my soul.  A few books later I discover being a writer is bloody hard work and my creativity differs.  My passion is really about connecting people with disabilities to their community. Art heals me but its not a tool I use to heal others.  It is my connection point to many different people in my community.

I am now working as a professional artists and arts worker. My begins as a writer have contributed to my success in writing grants. Despite my claims about founding ArtISability by accident, I work harder as a arts worker, than every before, but I am sustained by my passion to build an inclusive community one person at a  time.  

I have just returned from state hoping, It was during this trip I saw the value of telling our stories. I am not well pay as an artist, although my sales continue to build and I sold six pieces of work at my first exhibition and while away I had a digital art display in Sydney, through Off The Wall Gallery.

My next exhibition is in three weeks time.

My travels and studies at Brisbane Institute of Art are funded through funding I apply for to run my ArtISability Program or Leadership development grants.  These grants have come through The Leaders For Tomorrow Program, Arts Access Australia, Access Arts, Arts Queensland and the Ipswich City Council. I believe my community supports me because I am passionate about support my local art community and other artists living with disabilities, My recent trip was payed for by CRU or the Community Resource Unit.

My travels were part of my wider work on the National Support Studio Network. Equipping Studios to work alongside artists with disabilities to develop and sell their work. While I immensely enjoy creating art, I create as a professional artist and my latest sale was at the Brisbane Rotary Art Specular on Tuesday Night. 

If you want to know more about my woven fabric journey, attend my exhibitions or support my ArtISability project use my contact form. I hope our paths entwine soon. 

Learning to Tell You Story

Telling Your Story

We are continuing to look at planning for your artistic future. Having a plan is important when asking others to support your goals.

You need to tell your story to your family and friends, to the people you work with, to other artists, to the NDIA, to funding bodies, on social media, to potential partners and to people who will help you fundraise. You need to tell the world.

How you tell your story will be different depending on who you are sharing your story with. The way you share you story with someone at the bus stop will be different to the way you tell it to the Ipswich City Council. To tell your story you don't need to remember everything, you can write it down or use pictures. The best way to tell your story is to do it your way. Funding bodies are open to you telling your story via video if you cannot fill out your paperwork. They want to hear your voice not the person helping you write the application.

Everyone needs help at some point in the process, everyone will be asked to supply a reference. Even the people you're asking the money from can get you started they can help you decide how best to tell your story to give you the best chance of success.  Things like your budget other people can write for you. But your story needs to come from you.

A good place to start is to tell people your name. . .

Hi my name is Joan and I am a visual artists living in Ipswich Queensland (if you're at the bus stop they might guess you live in Ipswich) So try . . . My name is Joan and I enjoy making pottery. Currently I doing some workshops at Turning Earth Ceramics, actually I have some photos on my phone would you like to see them. Or you might have a business card with you and ask them to like you on facebook.  You won't say that to everyone, but to some people you might.  This is your journey, this is about finding what's right for you.

You're not going to invite someone to an art exhibition if you're not having one. Some people just want general information others need you to be more specific. If you are asking the council for money, then they will ask you lots of questions, saying with your name.  If you want them to give you money then they want to know who you are, why you want the money, how much money you need,  and where else could you ask for money. You always need a plan B!

Who are you?

They will want to know where you live and how to contact you.

They might want to know about what type of art you make and want you to show them some pictures

They will want to know where and when you learnt to make art.  Sometimes it's ok to say I just started and got better. Sometimes they want people who went to art school.

They will want to know about competitions and work you have sold and where you have sold it.

Most of all they want to hear about your project and why it is important to you.

NDIS Planning Tools to get you started

Start Today!

Your Eligible and Start-up Dates

Refer to NDIS Website

Your plan to take to a planer

Take a support person or Advocate there's a lot to remember

• Goals need to be clearly stated (achievable, necessary and reasonable).
• Know your starting point
• Break your goals down into steps
• Identify people to assist with each step
• How important is that step (in the event the NDIA can't provide everything. They will not pay for things like studio hirer, gallery hirer, workshops or art supplies. Although they will provide funds to attend supported studio spaces. So writing arts grants and fundraising will continue to be part of you job as an artists.)
• If you already have funding to support you art goals it good to tell the NDIA that.

Setting your goals tool 1

What is to be achieved	How this will be achieved	By whom	Resource allocation	Priority

How do you want your funds to be managed.

• No change - the NDIA can pay my providers direct
• I want to use a host provider to administrate my funding
• I want some input into where my funds are directed.
• I want to appoint a broker to manage my funds on my behalf
• I want to self-manage

You need to be clear on this.  I have listed the management of my funding as a separate goal and included a back up and emergency plan.  This will go wrong.  This allows the NDIA to fully cost the administration costs involved in your plan.

Tools

See My NDIS Pathways

Understanding Your Plan

Self-managing via CATS inc

Sample Plan

Begin your NDIS planning

What is to be achieved	How this will be achieved	By whom	Resource allocation	Priority
1. Lifestyle	1. Mobilty in the community. 2. Supported communication 3.Fitiness	REAL Community Service Provider		1
2. Develop an independent visual arts practise with home studio. This might be a goal of an emerging artists living with disability. This goal is: Clear Achievable Reasonable	a. Continue to grow and develop art skills through participation in local workshops, offered by Access Arts, Flying Arts and Arts Connect. b. Develop art work for competition and exhibition.   Set up home studio    Work with support staff to produce work. c. Professional Development Program d. Book gallery for exhibition (NB NDIA will not pay gallery fees, this is a costs to all artists) and plan opening night. e. Develop a Business plan for my art practise	Arts Connect Access Arts Flying Arts Support worker provided through Real Communities Mum & Dad in the spare room at home. Real Communities Support Workers Access Arts Access Arts Mum & Dad Real Communities Support Workers Access Arts Arts Mentor sourced through Access Arts Accountant Real Communities Support Worker to attend appointments	5 Support one on one hrs per week 15 hrs one on one support per week. Access Arts to develop support plan and provide costings. A block of 20hrs support per exhibition from Real Communities Mentor Costs 10 he support per month.	2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5
3. Holidays and recreations	Participate in ALARA Queensland Social Activities Program	ALARA Queensland	ALARA Queensland to provide quote	3.1