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Summary of the strategy [MP3 - 7.4 MB]

Transcript of the summary

This announcement is from the Cultural Ministers Council.

We are a committee of government ministers for the arts and culture from all over Australia. It will take just a few minutes of your time.

Last year Australia’s arts and culture ministers asked Australians with a disability—and the people who work with them—to let us know how they could more easily be part of Australia’s artistic and cultural life.

It’s important for governments to work well with people with a disability, to achieve a more inclusive society.

You told us about what works well—or not. You gave us examples, and your ideas, about what would help you gain better access to arts activities.

You told us how you would like to be included in decision-making about the arts and culture.

The new National Arts and Disability Strategy sets out a vision. It talks about how people with a disability can take part in arts and cultural activities.

Success for people with a disability should be a valued and visible part of Australian culture. The ministers have agreed to work together to make sure that the Strategy makes a real difference.

Using this strategy, Australia’s state, territory and local governments will look at what they are already doing, and decide where they can do more, and do better.

It’s a framework that sets out how governments can get things moving, and later on check back and make sure it has all been working well.

We have taken advice from the public on what we should be starting with. One hundred individuals and organisations wrote to us. They told us about the areas where they would like action:

Getting good information about opportunities for people with a disability

  • Making the public aware of the problems people with a disability face in arts practice
  • Making venues and websites on arts and culture accessible
  • Making sure that the path toward business and employment opportunity is as smooth as possible
  • Making sure that governments and organisations are communicating and working well together.

We have set out eight principles to guide our work on disability and the arts. The eight principles are also outlined on the Cultural Ministers Council website.

I’ll give you the website and other contact details at the end of this message.

Through the National Arts and Disability Strategy, Cultural Ministers Council commits to a collaborative national approach by governments. It will improve the quality of access, participation and experience by people with a disability in arts and cultural activities.

Taking your advice, the National Arts and Disability Strategy is focusing on four main areas for action.

  • It aims to improve access and participation.
  • It aims to ensure career and arts practice opportunities.
  • It aims to build audiences for the work of the sector.
  • And finally, it aims to help governments to work together, and with people with a disability, on these issues.

Each of these four areas has its own goals and steps. Again, they are outlined in detail on the website.

We will soon be publishing a book, and an easy-read version, which will set out these on-the-ground, practical steps, and how the Strategy will be made to work.

Please check the website, or get in touch with us, and we will arrange to send you a copy.

The Cultural Ministers Council would like to thank everyone for contributing their thoughts, ideas and stories to the strategy.

This announcement has given you a summary of the Strategy.