APOCASTRIP WOW!!

21, 22 February 2012 

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Mat Fraser* and Julia Atlas Muz, the crazy blonde and the sealboy mutant, perform this traditional and genuine old time freak show act, woven together by subversive songs, comedy turns and cameos- a rollicking, cataclysmic cabaret sideshow striptease spectacular!

*Mat Fraser, UK performer extraordinaire, who trashes all disability stereotypes

http://www.au.timeout.com/melbourne/clubs/events/2421/apocastrip-wow

Win one of four free double passes!!!

Open to all new and existing Arts Access Victoria members

Have you signed up??!

http://artsaccess.com.au/access-program-2/become-an-access-member/

To be in the draw, email jflorence@artsaccess.com.au or phone 8640 6011 and leave your name and membership number.

Winners notified by 15 February

Venue:

The Gershwin Room

The Esplanade Hotel

11 The Esplanade, St Kilda

www.espy.com.au

Bookings:  

mail@espy.com.au 

phone: 03 9534 0211

All participants will receive a $35 Coles Myer voucher for their time, and the participant completing the most reviews will be thanked on the website and receive a $200 Coles Myer voucher.

Lunch will be provided on each day and everyone involved is welcome to come have a few drinks with us after each session.

Using Grit Media’s new website, The Travelling Chair (www.travellingchair.net), we are now creating a user generated resource with detailed information about all types of accessible venues.

The website is already up and running and now needs users to get online and share their hard won knowledge of accessible places.

***We want details on the gaps between tables, the size of the accessible toilets, the height of the counter and all the other points you find to be important.

***Were you treated differently because you had a disability?  Were the staff helpful and happy to meet your needs?
We’ll be asking participants to gather and upload this information over the course of the competition.

We want you to give good reviews to those who’ve made the effort to be accessible for everyone, and name and shame those who need to get their act together.

By building up the Travelling Chair website as a resource, we aim both to share as much information as possible between people with access needs, and encourage retailers to make the changes necessary to make our city accessible to people of all abilities.

The Make Melbourne Accessible initiative will act as a kickstart for the Travelling Chair website, getting the initial reviews up for the Melbourne area, and encouraging new users to contribute to the site.

Sign me up!

To be a part of the Make Melbourne Accessible Initiative you will need to be available from 12pm – 4pm on at least three Saturdays between Feb 11 and Mar 3.

Request and return form to naomi@gritmedia.org.au or admin@gritmedia.org.au

or

Travelling Chair, Grit Media

GPO Box 571, Melbourne, 3001

Completed forms must be received by the Grit Media office on or before Tuesday 7th Feb

• Arts Access Victoria will source and promote free entertainment offers from across Victoria.
• Arts Access Vic will source and promote discounted entertainment offers for members and publicise them in regular newsletters and bulletins
• AAV will offer heavily discounted Hoyts and Village cinema vouchers forindividual members, group members and clients and staff of organisation members.
• AAV supports the Arts industry to achieve accessible arts events which provide Auslan interpreting, audio description, captioning, improved physical access options, tactile tours etc.
• Free up-dates on accessible arts and entertainment opportunities, news flashes, quarterly newsletters.
• Help with members’ ticketing difficulties – call or email us
• Member assistance with a wide range of inquiries on access to the arts – call or email us. This information can be delivered in the specific accessible formats of your choice.
• We actively seek your feedback on poor access experiences and services at Victorian arts and cultural venues and follow up to improve the issues.
• The Access Service will carry out active campaigns and individual advocacy to increase your rights to participate in cultural activities.
• AAV is developing a Venue Guide that will give detailed access information about major Arts venues.

Membership

The Access Service offers individual, group and organisational membership. Now is the time to renew your membership or to take up membership for the first time.

For more information contact:

Janice Florence, Access Development Officer (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)
jflorence@artsaccess.com.au / Tel 03 8640 6011   / TTY 03 9699 7636

Kath Duncan, Access Development Officer (Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday)
kduncan@artsaccess.com.au / Tel 03 8640 6002 / TTY 03 9699 7636

See more information on the AAV website: http://artsaccess.com.au/access-program-2/become-an-access-member/

Venue: Meets at Cube 37 at the Frankston Arts Centre, crn of Davey and Young Streets, Frankston

Arts Access Victoria: provides access to arts and cultural activity for people who are disadvantaged, including people with a disability.

Aims and Objectives:

• to provide a visual and performing arts program for adults with a disability living in the South Eastern region of Melbourne
• to provide a respite program for family and voluntary carers, which satisfies their need to ensure the person with a disability, is involved in an appropriate activity.
• to provide participants with an innovative, creative, empowering, participant-driven arts program that involves active choice and participation
• to provide adults with a disability with a visual and performing arts program facilitated by professional, experienced artists and support workers – participants will primarily be adults with an intellectual disability, however adults with physical, sensory, neurological disabilities and an acquired brain injury will also be welcome
• to provide each participant with the opportunity for their personal artistic and social skills to be taken into consideration and for the group to work at a broad level reflecting their diversity

Position Description

The purpose of the position is to support and assist adults who have a disability with their personal care requirements and in participating in the Get Out! program.

The duties of the Support Worker are:

• to be open, participatory and enthusiastic
• to assist participants in all their personal direct care requirements – with toileting, hand washing, changing of soiled clothes and all facets of personal hygiene as needed
• to assist participants in the project activities through direct interaction, involvement, encouragement and where required, co-active support
• to assist people who are attending for the first time and/or are unlikely to be regular members of the group to fit in
• to assist artists in any organisational needs for artistic activities and projects throughout the day
• to assist participants with the preparation of morning and afternoon tea and to assist all support needs related to eating and drinking
• to supervise and assist participants with all transportation needs during their arrival at the departure from the project venue, ie checking address details with drivers.
• to provide first aid assistance when required.
• to manage challenging behaviour, using consistent strategies developed in consultation with other staff, residential care givers and family members
• to communicate with families/carers about participants’ needs via communication books and other communication aids
• to assist the artists in setting up and cleaning up art materials, ensuring that the premises are left in a clean and orderly manner
• to discuss with the artists and other support staff at the beginning of each session, the structure and requirements of the day’s project, and again at the end of the day to plan for the next session
• to attend meetings as required by the project manager
• to purchase refreshments as required.

Occupational Health and Safety

Arts Access Victoria is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for employees, participants, members and visitors. This relates to all workplaces of Arts Access Victoria, including the offices at 222 Bank Street and all off-site venues.

All employees have some responsibility in making sure Arts Access Victoria abides by the OHS Act (1985).

In particular, all employees will take reasonable care of their own health and safety and the health and safety of others they work with. All employees will also co-operate with Arts Access Victoria to make sure it remains a safe and healthy place to work.

One of the three Support Workers will be appointed as the Occupational Health and Safety Officer for Get Out! and will have particular duties in this area

• monitoring the project location for potential safety concerns – e.g. water spills
• provision of first aid where necessary
• reporting any incidents to the Project Manager immediately
• notifying the staff member responsible for petty cash when first aid supplies are needed

Key Selection Criteria

• current First Aid Certificate Level 2
• experience working with a range of people with a disability – including people with high support needs, autism, acquired brain injury; intellectual,  physical and sensory disabilities; challenging behaviours
• understanding Disability Service Standard requirements
• experience and/or interest and enthusiasm for the arts.
• experience in day-to-day administration requirements: keeping attendance, contact and first aid records
• fully qualified support worker – minimum Certificate 3, preferably with or working towards Certificate 4 level, or equivalent experience

Project Dates and Hours of Work:

Fortnightly on Saturdays 9:30am – 4:30pm, including a half hour paid lunch break.  Participants are in attendance from 10:00 – 3:30pm.

Project Funding: Arts Access Victoria receives funding for this project through The Department of Human Services.

Responsible to Arts Development Officer Ashley Molese amolese@artsaccess.com.au |Direct 03 8640 6008

Enterprise Agreement Arts Access Victoria has an Enterprise Agreement, which forms part of the employment contract.

Arts Access Victoria provides access to arts and cultural activity for people who are disadvantaged, including people with a disability.

Position Description

The purpose of the position is to support and assist adults who have a disability with their personal care requirements and in participating in the Arts Access Victoria arts program she/he is enrolled in.

The duties of the Support Worker are:

• to be open, participatory and enthusiastic
• to assist participants in all their personal direct care requirements – with toileting, hand washing, changing of soiled clothes and all facets of personal hygiene.
• to assist participants in the project activities through direct interaction, involvement, encouragement and where required, co-active support
• to assist people who are attending for the first time and/or are unlikely to be regular members of the group to fit in
• to assist artists in any organisational needs for artistic activities and projects throughout the day
• to assist participants with the preparation of morning and afternoon tea and to assist all support needs related to eating and drinking
• to supervise and assist participants with all transportation needs during their arrival at the departure from the project venue, ie checking address details with drivers.
• to provide first aid assistance when required.
• to manage challenging behaviour, using consistent strategies developed in consultation with other staff, residential care givers and family members
• to communicate with families/carers about participants’ needs via communication books and other communication aids
• to assist the artists in setting up and cleaning up art materials, ensuring that the premises are left in a clean and orderly manner
• to discuss with the artists and other support staff at the beginning of each session, the structure and requirements of the day’s project, and again at the end of the day to plan for the next session
• to attend meetings as required by the project manager
• to purchase refreshments as required.

Occupational Health and Safety

Arts Access Victoria is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace for employees, participants, members and visitors. This relates to all workplaces of Arts Access Victoria, including the offices at 222 Bank Street and all off-site venues.

All employees have some responsibility in making sure Arts Access Victoria abides by the OHS Act (1985).

In particular, all employees will take reasonable care of their own health and safety and the health and safety of others they work with. All employees will also co-operate with Arts Access Victoria to make sure it remains a safe and healthy place to work.

One of the three Support Workers will be appointed as the Occupational Health and Safety Officer for Way Out West and will have particular duties in this area

• monitoring the project location for potential safety concerns – e.g. water spills
• provision of first aid where necessary
• reporting any incidents to the Project Manager immediately
• notifying the staff member responsible for petty cash when first aid supplies are needed

Key Selection Criteria

• fully qualified support worker – minimum Certificate 3, preferably with or working towards Certificate 4 level, or equivalent experience
• current First Aid Certificate Level 2
• experience working with a range of people with a disability – including people with high support needs, autism, acquired brain injury; intellectual,  physical and sensory disabilities; challenging behaviours
• experience in day-to-day administration requirements: keeping attendance, contact and first aid records
• understanding Disability Service Standard requirements
• experience and/or interest and enthusiasm for the arts.

Project Funding: Arts Access Victoria receives funding for this project through The Department of Human Services.

Responsible to Arts Development Officer Ashley Molese amolese@artsaccess.com.au | Direct 03 8640 6008

Enterprise Agreement

Arts Access Victoria has an Enterprise Agreement, which forms part of the employment contract.

222 Bank St, South Melbourne Victoria 3205

Telephone 9699 8299 Fax 9699 8868 Email info@artsaccess.com.au

Are you passionate about increasing opportunities for artists with a disability?

With a focus on high quality contemporary programming, and capacity building, you will lead a team of highly skilled professionals to develop arts projects that demonstrate best practice inclusive arts and raise the profile of artists with a disability.

Remuneration: Total Equivalent Package Value of $81,000 pa pro rata (includes $65,000 base salary, 9% superannuation, annual leave loading and maximum benefit of salary packaging).

Position description available here

All applications must address selection criteria and be sent to recruitment@artsaccess.com.au by  5pm Monday 30 January 2012.

Enquiries about the position to Veronica Pardo, Executive Director on 8640 6015 or vpardo@artsaccess.com.au

ABOUT ARTS ACCESS VICTORIA

Established in 1974, Arts Access Victoria has since become the state’s leading arts and disability organisation, dedicated to maximising opportunities for people with a disability to create art, experience art and work in the arts. The organisation achieves this vision through: advocacy; the delivery of arts programs and events for people with a disability; professional development programs for artists with a disability; disability awareness training for arts organisations and distribution of disability access information and advice.

Funny, physical and fantastically messy, Muckheap is a tale of two people trying to clean out their house for their big move. In the process of packing and sorting they find all their hoarded junk too interesting, useful or too full of memories to throw away.

As a way of coping, the characters throw themselves into a story, made up on the spot and illustrated with whatever comes to hand. What emerges is the story of Jacky and the Beanstalk… with a twist that parallels their own situation. From throwing out junk to creating characters with consummate ease, this show displays the awesome power of the puppeteer. It invites children to become their own story makers and encourages imaginative play through whatever you have at hand.

Muckheap is driven by Polyglot’s philosophy of inventive play, children as creators and the idea that the simplest of materials can make for fantastic worlds, with imagination and confidence.

This production of Muckheap has been updated to feature bilingual performance in both English and Auslan, developed in conjunction with the students at Furlong Park Primary School for the Deaf. Unlike other productions which use Auslan interpreters alongside English-speaking performers, this production is told in Auslan and is fully accessible for both Deaf and hearing audiences.

Muckheap has been an international smash hit for Polyglot since premiering in 2001, touring across Australia and playing everywhere from the Sydney Opera House to Singapore, the USA and the Shanghai International Children’s Theatre Festival – where it was performed in Mandarin-Chinese.

Workshops
The cast run a hands-on Junk Puppetry workshop which is thematically-linked to Muckheap. In these workshops, the performers of Muckheap work with children to use everyday materials to turn a milk carton into a monster, a binder into a baby, or a spring into something completely unexpected. Workshops last two hours.

Videos
For video clips visit www.polyglottheatre.com/muckheap

Fees
Workshop – $500 plus GST per workshop (discounts apply for multiple)
Performance – Free with workshop purchase (thanks to our generous funding partners)

Bookings / Enquiries
t: + 61 3 9827 9667
e: adi@polyglottheatre.com
www.polyglottheatre.com

About Polyglot
Australia’s Polyglot Theatre is an internationally renowned creator of interactive, experiential and puppet theatre for children aged up to 12 years. At Polyglot, theatre is child’s play. We seek to challenge, to foster curiosity and to inspire. For over 30 years, Polyglot has been recognized one of Australia’s leading children’s theatre companies, and in recent years the company has been in demand internationally, playing to over 60 000 children annually on four continents.

THE OTHER FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF FOUR ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS

The Other Film Festival and Arts Access Victoria are very pleased to announce the appointment of four Associate Directors for the 2012 Festival:

Sofya Gollan Sofya is a multi-award winning drama and documentary director and screenwriter. Her first feature film, Preservation, a Gothic, love triangle starring Jacqueline McKenzie, Simon Burke and Jack Finsterer, premiered at the 2003 Melbourne International Film Festival. She has been an ambassador for Deaf Children Australia and has appeared regularly on Playschool.

Sophie Sherriff Among her many achievements, Sophie is an animator and brings a strong design sensibility and 15 years experience in graphic design to the team.

Gregory Mackay Gregory is a film practitioner and a prize-winning graphic novel author. He has also worked across a wide spectrum of disability services including Arts Project Australia.

Eva Sifis. Eva is a highly-experienced arts worker and project coordinator. She has recently conducted a study tour of disability arts practises in Victoria.

These positions were created to ensure that the responsibility for vision and delivery of the film festival was increasingly taken on by people with experience of deaf or disability. The Associate Directors will play leading roles in delivering the 2012 festival.

For Sofya, her first duty will be to attend the Reelabilities disability film festival in New York in February 2012. She will liaise with the team behind the festival, see some exciting international cinema, and meet the filmmakers.

Rick Randall, The Other Film Festival’s Artistic Director says:

“The appointment of these new directors marks the beginning of a bold, new phase for the festival. Each of the successful candidates brings a wealth of experience and a bag of exciting new ideas to the festival. In return, they can expect the support needed to bring these ideas to fruition and opportunities to further their professional development. This all promises a truly astounding event in 2012.”

Since its inception in 2004, The Other Film Festival has responded to the aspirations of people with a disability to fully participate in screen culture as creators, consumers and for the experience of disability to be portrayed in an authentic and credible manner. The festival increases the inclusion of people with a disability in the cultural life of the community by screening a compelling program of contemporary disability cinema, by providing a highly accessible experience and by promoting improved access and inclusion in the screen and cinema industries.

The Other Film Festival is set to ignite Melbourne with an international program of contemporary cinema by, with and about people with a disability and people who are deaf, in September 2012.

Rick Randall, Festival Director, The Other Film Festival, is available for interviews and can be contacted at Tel: 03 8640 6013, Mobile: 0413 667 900 or Email: rrandall@artsaccess.com.au

Blind photographer Andrew Follows has produced a 2012 Calendar, ‘Images by Night’, to raise funds for Edinburgh.

The calendars sell for $25 AU each plus postage within Australia. If you would like one please send an email to Andrew at andrew@blinkiephotography.com.au

Buy a calendar now and help support Andrew and his Guide Dog Eamon, to travel to the the highlands of the UK to take part in the Edinburgh Arts Festival in August 2012!

This is a limited run so get in quick so you don’t miss out. This will make a perfect Christmas gift.

“Thank you all so much for your ongoing wonderful support for a great opportunity for me to share my photography on the International stage. Warmest regards for the Christmas Season.”
Andrew Follows

How to Order
Cost is $25 each plus $5 for postage. To order please send an email to Andrew at andrew@blinkiephotography.com.au

All I want for Christmas….is to be able to access Foxtel!

Amanda Heal is one of a growing number of blind Foxtel subscribers expressing frustration at the inaccessibility of Foxtel’s services – from Foxtel’s IQ program guide, to the IQ’s recording features, to the inaccessibility of television content for viewers who are blind or vision impaired.

Ms Heal, who has been subscribed to Foxtel since 2009, has been left with no choice but to withdraw a complaint of disability discrimination from the Australian Human Rights Commission due to Foxtel’s resistance to increase the usability of a number of services for blind subscribers.

“Despite two years of negotiations, Foxtel still won’t commit to the development of an accessible IQ set top box with audio features so that I can know what is showing next on TV or pre-record programs using the program planner. The program guide on their website is inaccessible and I have been told that I should record content from my Iphone – a process which is very time consuming. The irony is that I pay the same amount of money to subscribe to Foxtel as everyone else and yet I get half the service”, Ms Heal said.

“My choices are to continue to pay for a service that is only partly accessible to me or to miss out entirely. People should not be forced to take a matter to the Federal Court in order to access a basic service”, said Ms Heal.

BskyB, Foxtel’s counterpart in the United Kingdom, provides audio enabled set top boxes for blind and vision impaired subscribers. BskyB also provides audio described content on many of their TV channels; another sticking point for blind subscribers in the Australian market.

Audio description is a way to describe the visual elements seen on screen in a clear and private manner. It gives a person who is blind or vision impaired a true sense of what is happening on-screen with a description of scenery, costumes, facial expression and body language which is spoken between natural pauses in dialogue.

“Whilst we appreciate that Foxtel may be looking into these issues as part of their future development of their services, current subscribers who are blind or vision impaired are receiving a second class service which is discriminatory”, said Ms Gaile, Executive Officer of Blind Citizens Australia.

“With the appointment of Richard Freudenstein as the new CEO of Foxtel, we are very much hoping that Mr Freudenstein will bring his expertise from BskyB to the Australian market to ensure a service that everyone can access”, said Ms Gaile.

Blind Citizens Australia, as the peak national consumer body of and for people who are blind or vision impaired, have been approached by a further six individuals wanting to lodge complaints of disability discrimination against Foxtel. These complaints will be lodged in early 2012.