National Arts and Disability Strategy launched

The federal Arts Minister Peter Garrett and Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities, Bill Shorten, announced the endorsement of the new National Arts and Disability Strategy by the Cultural Ministers Council at their national meeting on 9th October.  

The Strategy resulted from a consultation process between the Cultural Ministers Council and the arts and disability sector, including organisations and individuals with submissions received from many arts practitioners and consumers.  

With one in five Australians experiencing some form of disability, the CMC is strongly recommending that state and local governments, venue owners and other organisations incorporate the document’s recommendations into their future planning.  

Four priority areas are set out in the National Arts and Disability Strategy:

•  finding ways to address barriers to participation, as audiences or in arts practice;
• aiding ambition, and helping emerging professional arts practitioners;
• growing audiences for work created by those with a disability; and
• empowering people to participate in arts policy development and planning.  

For copies of the Strategy, including accessible formats, see the Cultural Ministers Council website: www.cmc.gov.au , or contact the Cultural Ministers Council Secretariat at contact@cmc.gov.au