Accessible Arts

Accessible Arts We’re the peak arts and disability organisation in New South Wales. Find out more about us on our website: www.aarts.org.au

Established in 1986, we work with and for our community to accelerate and celebrate the diverse professional, cultural and social impacts of arts and disability in NSW. Our Mission
We advance the rights of, and opportunities for, people with disability and/or who are Deaf to develop and sustain professional careers in the arts and have equitable access to arts and culture across NSW. Our Vision
Eq

uity and excellence in arts, culture and disability

Our Values
Equity | Excellence | Diversity | Creativity | Partnership

Congratulations to the 8 talented participants undertaking paid internships as part of the 2026 Ripple: Disability and C...
23/06/2026

Congratulations to the 8 talented participants undertaking paid internships as part of the 2026 Ripple: Disability and Culturally Diverse Internship Program, led by Accessible Arts and run in partnership with Diversity Arts Australia.

Denise Nolasco, Mei Lin Meyers, Elena Akami Hammer, Sehej Kaur Sehmbhi, Lara-Marie Wilkinson, Sione Puloka, Anya and Senjuti Maitra will each be undertaking an exciting internship.

The partnering organisations for this unique program include APRA AMCOS, Performing Lines, Tuggeranong Arts Centre , Utp, PHIVE, Blue Mountains Cultural Centre, City of Parramatta and Chau Chak Wing Museum.

To read more about this exciting initiative and the selected participants, visit https://aarts.net.au/news/2026-ripple-interns-announced/

Thanks to everyone who applied for this competitive program and congratulations again to the selected interns.



Image descriptions: Headshots of the selected 2026 Ripple Program participants, including: Denise Nolasco (photo by Phoebe Metcalfe), Mei Lin Meyers, Elena Akami Hammer, Sehej Kaur Sehmbhi, Lara-Marie Wilkinson, Sione Puloka (photo by Jacquie Manning), Anya and Senjuti Maitra.

Thanks to everyone who joined in person or online for our recent Access Ideas and Insights event focused on Growing Incl...
22/06/2026

Thanks to everyone who joined in person or online for our recent Access Ideas and Insights event focused on Growing Inclusive Audiences.

This event explored how arts and cultural organisations can expand access and deepen audience relationships by embedding access across all areas of practice.

It considered cultural access, engagement, and long-term thinking, with a focus on how audiences are actively included in programming, marketing, and organisational decision-making.

Panellists included Angie Goto (Artist and Arts Educator), Sidney McMahon (Director, Parramatta Artists Studios and Rosell Flatley (Access Programs Producer, Art Gallery of New South Wales). This event was MC’d by Michael Louis Kennedy (Producer, Biennale of Sydney).

If you missed this event or would like to experience it again, accessible recordings are now available on our website, including captioned and Auslan interpreted versions.

Check them out at https://aarts.net.au/news/growing-inclusive-audiences-accessible-recordings/

Accessible Arts is proudly supported by Create NSW and this Hybrid Event was made possible with support from Biennale of Sydney.



Image description: A series of photos from the event including individual close-ups and group photos of the panellists and MC, (Sidney McMahon, Angie Goto, Rosell Flatley and Michael Louis Kennedy.) as well as a photo of audience members taken from above. Photos by Erika Arabit.

Sam Wade's hilarious stand-up comedy show explores the comedian's personal journey into fatherhood as an autistic indivi...
19/06/2026

Sam Wade's hilarious stand-up comedy show explores the comedian's personal journey into fatherhood as an autistic individual.

Like a siren song, Sam Wade was lured into fatherhood with a catchy jingle written by his wife.

Sam never thought he would be a Dad. Transitions can be hard when you have autism, and having a baby is one of life's biggest curveballs. Crying, no sleep, isolation, crippling anxiety… and then there's the baby. Turns out fatherhood is more than BBQs and Hawaiian shirts.

The performance delves into themes of parenthood challenges like sleep deprivation, anxiety, midnight diaper changes, and the value of building a supportive community, or 'village,' amid rising global concerns.

Following a successful Sydney Fringe season, it returns for one night only at The Vanguard in Newtown.

The interactive hour-long show highlights neurodivergence, emotional growth, and making the world better through wholesome humor.

👉 Sam Wade: It takes a Village, Idiot
📆 Monday 29 June
🕓 6:45pm
📍 The Vanguard, Newtown

For more info and to purchase tickets, visit: https://tinyurl.com/5n6mp4j8



Image description: Comedian Sam Wade has long, dark, wavy hair, a mustache and a beard. He is posing against a pink background wearing a suit with a loosened tie.

This afternoon's Advance Your Career session is almost fully booked.Accessible Arts is partnering with the National Asso...
18/06/2026

This afternoon's Advance Your Career session is almost fully booked.

Accessible Arts is partnering with the National Association for the Visual Arts to present this free, online workshop for artists with disability or who are d/Deaf.

👉 Advance Your Career: Artists at Work – Fees, Rights and Getting Paid
📆 Today (Thurs 18 June)
🕓 3pm – 4.30pm
📍Online

This workshop will be Auslan interpreted and captioned.

Bookings essential - places are limited.

Details and bookings at https://aarts.net.au/news/advance-your-career-artists-at-work/

This free professional development session is presented with support from Create NSW.



Image Description: A colourful graphic line illustration of trees, an art gallery and people all engaging in work related to the arts. Illustration by Claudia Chinyere Akole © 2024.

Bus Stop Films is excited to share that Boss Cat premiere screenings will include a range of accessibility provisions. B...
05/06/2026

Bus Stop Films is excited to share that Boss Cat premiere screenings will include a range of accessibility provisions.

Both screenings will feature open captions and Auslan interpretation for filmmaker introductions and Q&A sessions. The encore screening will also include audio description for blind or low vision guests.

Sydney Film Festival accepts Companion Cards for all sessions.

👉 Boss Cat
📆Sunday 7 June, 5pm State Theatre (wheelchair seating fully booked)
📆Monday 8 June, 2pm Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace

To purchase tickets, visit: https://www.sff.org.au/program/event/boss-cat/

Image description: A person smiling with long straight dark brown hair is wearing a yellow beanie and a bright pink jacket. In the background there are trees and the sun is shining. At the bottom are the words 'Official Selection Sydney Film Festival 2026' with a graphic design leaf detail.

Estado De Asamblea (State of Assembly) by Gabriela Golder is a unique civic ritual, inviting audiences to witness — and,...
05/06/2026

Estado De Asamblea (State of Assembly) by Gabriela Golder is a unique civic ritual, inviting audiences to witness — and, for women and gender diverse attendees, take part in — a powerful conversation about some of the most urgent issues shaping our world today.

This new transdisciplinary performance work blends public debate, live music, choral performance, video, and texts ranging from literature to political manifestos. It invites audiences into a shared, intergenerational exploration of new ways of living—and imagining a more just and equitable world.

This exciting Biennale of Sydney event features original music composed by Liz Martin Band.

👉 Estado De Asamblea (State of Assembly)
📆 Sunday 7 June
🕓 1pm - 4pm
📍Marrickville Town Hall

This free event will be Auslan interpreted.



Register now at https://www.biennaleofsydney.art/events/estado-de-asamblea-state-of-assembly-by-gabriela-golder/

Image description: Five people can be seen as part of a concerned crowd, wearing warm layers of clothing. The person at the front is wearing a red jumper and holding a hand to their mouth.

Applications close on Sunday for the 2026 Accessible Arts and Bundanon Artist-In-Residence Program.Musicians, writers an...
01/06/2026

Applications close on Sunday for the 2026 Accessible Arts and Bundanon Artist-In-Residence Program.

Musicians, writers and visual artists with disability or who are d/Deaf from NSW and the ACT are encouraged to apply.

Five artists will be funded to undertake a six-night residency at Bundanon in September.
Successful applicants will be accommodated in self-catering cabins incorporating an artist’s studio or musician’s cottage.

👉 Apply Now

For details and to apply, visit https://aarts.net.au/news/2026-bundanon-residency-apply-now/

📆 Applications close 11.30pm, Sunday 7 June 2026



Image Description: The landscape at Bundanon depicts a thick, misty forest of dark trees under a vast and cloudy sky. Photo by John Janson-Moore. Overlay text reads: Accessible Artist Residencies, Applications Close Sunday.

Entries are now open for the 2026 Artful Art Prize.Artful is an inclusive national art prize for all artists focused on ...
01/06/2026

Entries are now open for the 2026 Artful Art Prize.

Artful is an inclusive national art prize for all artists focused on sharing personal perspective through art.

This year's theme is ‘Reflections of Reality' and there are $1000 Eckersley's Art & Craft vouchers up for grabs. Categories include painting, drawing, photography, 3D, mixed media and textiles.

Artful is open to Australian residents of all experience levels.

📆 Entries close Tuesday 30 June.

👉 For details and to enter, visit https://www.achieveaustralia.org.au/artful

The Artful Art Prize is a unique collaboration between Achieve Australia and Accessible Arts.



Image description: A pink promotional graphic features a textile artwork of a partial face with detailed eyes and long, colourful hanging threads. A purple eye logo appears above text details for the Artful Art Prize 2026. The artwork is credited as “Self Portrait” by Ella Shearing, Artful Highly Commended 2023.

Join in person or online for our exciting Access Ideas and Insights event today at 3pm.This event will explore how arts ...
26/05/2026

Join in person or online for our exciting Access Ideas and Insights event today at 3pm.

This event will explore how arts and cultural organisations can expand access and deepen audience relationships by embedding access across all areas of practice.

👉 Access Ideas and Insights: Growing Inclusive Audiences
📆 Today
🕓 3pm – 4.15pm
+ in-person networking until 5pm
📍White Bay Power Station, Wangal + Online



Register now at https://aarts.net.au/news/access-ideas-and-insights-growing-inclusive-audiences/

Accessible Arts is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW and this hybrid event was made possible with support from the Biennale of Sydney.

Image description: White text on a black background reads: Hybrid Event Series: Growing Inclusive Audiences. On the right there is a pink and blue swirling graphic.

Bangarra Dance Theatre offers Audio Description for most performances in their 2026 national tour of 'Sheltering'. Audio...
19/05/2026

Bangarra Dance Theatre offers Audio Description for most performances in their 2026 national tour of 'Sheltering'.

Audio description is for people who are blind or have low vision, people with sensory processing disorders or autism, and anyone who would benefit from extra assistance, helping more audiences connect with Bangarra’s work.

Bangarra’s Audio Description shares cultural context for the stories and describes the visual and tactile elements that shape the full production experience.

For details, visit the website, email [email protected] or call 02 9251 5333. Companion Cards welcome.

Website: https://www.bangarra.com.au/performances/audio-described-performances/



Image description: At sunrise, golden light washes over the ocean and rocky shore as a male dancer stands by shallow pools. He leans back with one arm raised, gold fabric haloing his body. White ochre marks his skin, and light reflects in the water. Credit Disclaimer: Image supplied by Bangarra Dance Theatre. Photography by Daniel Boud.

Address

The Arts Exchange, Level 3, 10 Hickson Road
Dawes Point, NSW
2000

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+61292516499

Website

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