Evaluation of the National Arts and Disability Strategy Submission from The Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG) 22 June 2016

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1 Evaluation of the National Arts and Disability Strategy Submission from The Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG) 22 June 2016 Who we are: The Australian Major Performing Arts Group, or AMPAG, is the umbrella group for Australia's major performing arts companies (MPAs) who inspire millions through theatre, circus, contemporary dance, classical ballet, classical music, opera, musicals and comedy. Audience: In 2014, 3.83 million Australians attended a performance, school activity or workshop by an MPA company in 2014 an increase of 85,000 on Employment: The MPAs employed more than 10,000 people in ,400 artistic and production (including 4,900 artists), 2,700 admin and management. This represents around 25 per cent share of performing arts employment in Australia. Income: In 2014 MPA companies earned a total of almost $342.5 million in income, of which $228.5 million was box office income reflecting a box office increase from 2013 of almost 12 per cent, and an overall income increase of about 9 per cent. For further information contact: Bethwyn Serow Executive Director Tel AMPAG ww.ampag.com.au AMPAG@AMPAG.com.au PO Box 1965 Sydney

2 Introduction The following information is provided as an additional resource highlighting a selection of projects and programs major preforming arts companies are involved in that facilitate people with disabilities to access and or to participate in the arts. As we have advised the Ministry by phone, this has been prepared at short notice and while we hope provides useful information is not exhaustive. Some members were able to respond to the request for information directly to the Ministry for the Arts, five members have responded through the online survey AMPAG created based on the Ministry s questionnaire and provided as a separate PDF, AMPAG has gathered additional examples of the programs and actions by the MPAs that have facilitated access and participation. These have been primarily sourced from companies 2015 annual reports. AMPAG welcomes further discussion and or research across the group in relation to the National Arts and Disability Strategy and associated policy setting. Summary of information provided: Companies submissions direct to the ministry: 1. Queensland theatre Company 2. Australian Chamber Orchestra Companies responding via AMPAG Survey- see separate PDF 1. Malthouse 2. Melbourne Symphony Orchestra 3. State Theatre Company South Australia 4. The Australian Ballet, 5. West Australian Ballet Companies activities noted by AMPAG: 1. Black Swan State Theatre Company 2. Circus Oz 3. Opera Australia 4. Queensland Ballet 5. Queensland Opera 6. State Opera South Australia 7. Sydney Symphony Orchestra 8. Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra 9. West Australian Symphony Orchestra 2

3 Activities 1. Black Swan State Theatre Company The company continued to offer special services for physically impaired patrons, including an audio description service and tactile tours for vision impaired patrons and captioned performances for hearing impaired patrons. In 2015 the Mental Illness Fellowship of WA MIFWA hosted a special performance of the musical Next to Normal programmed especially for MIFWA to invited guests working with patients suffering from mental illness. Guest were welcomed by Mental Health Commissioner Tim Marney, MIFWA CEO Monique Williamson and Black Swan Artistic Director Kate Cherry who spoke about the importance of Black Swan Theatre being a theatre company where everyone can belong to. This provided outcomes for both Black Swan s audience development and MIFWA guests, many of whom were attending the theatre for the very first time. The Education and Community touring work in 2015 Shadowboxing aimed to create a new model for touring education productions to engage an even broader community, as well as the school community in regional towns. This has been a valuable experience for the company and enabled it to successfully expand their regional reach. The company worked with serval local shires to present Shadowboxing in their community. Although its primary target audience was young people, it attracted seniors, disability groups, parents and carers, who all responded to the work positively. Schools and communities that were visited included Mandurah, Esperance Denham Carnarvon, Karratha, Port Hedland and Onslow. A total of 1123 students, teachers and community members attended a performance. 2. Cirucs Oz Cirucs Oz hosted Melbourne Fringe Festival Accessibility Forum in 2015 Two performances during the Melbourne Big Top season were also Auslan interpreted and they porvided a range of accessibility services including wheelchair seating and acceptance of companion cards across the season. Circus Oz ran a term-long pilot program, JetPAC run in conjunction with Banyule City Council. The program has been designed for young adults with disabilities. 3. Opera Australia AUSLAN SHADOW INTERPRETING Opera Australia and Deaf Children Australia have formed a unique relationship to develop the new technique of presenting opera performances with Auslan Shadow Interpreters. Shadow-interpreting incorporates the interpreters into the onstage action with stage direction & costumes, rather than having them stand on the side of stage; resulting in 3

4 a much more comprehensive theatre-going experience for deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their families. Opera Australia has been developing this program with Deaf Children Australia since This exciting program is delivered through Opera Australia's primary schools tour in Victoria, expanding into NSW for the first time in In 2013 Opera Australia was the Victorian winner of the Creative Partnerships Australia Arts Access Award for this program. And in 2014, Opera Australia was a finalist in the National Disability Awards for the Improving Inclusive and Accessible Communities Award. 4. Queensland Ballet Queensland Ballet s Dance for Parkinson s program has had positive physical, social, cognitive and emotional benefits for participants affected by Parkinson s disease, according to research undertaken by QUT and The University of Queensland. Participants found their functional mobility improved while dual tasking, which is moving their arms and feet simultaneously. The research team also found improvements in gait cadence and velocity while walking in a straight line and while dual tasking, and participants had less physical discomfort. Queensland Ballet began its pilot Dance for Parkinson s program offering specialised dance classes to people affected by Parkinson s in Working with David Leventhal, a founder of the internationally recognised Dance for PD program established in New York, and Brisbane-based specialist and QUT PhD student Erica Rose Jeffrey, Queensland Ballet gave 30 classes to over 60 participants over nine months at its studios in Brisbane, with support from the John T. Reid Charitable Trust. Each class ran for 75 minutes and included structured exercises and creative movement activities accompanied by live music. The classes introduced participants to five ballets in QB s repertoire The Nutcracker, Coppélia, Romeo & Juliet, Serenade and Bolero. Participants also attended live QB performances at the theatre, and watched company dancers rehearse. The program was accompanied by a research study conducted by experts from QUT s Creative Industries (Dance) and Health (Movement Neuroscience) faculties and Parkinson s researchers from The University of Queensland s (UQ) Health and Behavioural Sciences (Physiotherapy) faculty to analyse the physical and social benefits of the program. The research study, the first of its kind in Australia, was based on the observation and data collection of 11 volunteer research participants, before, during and after taking part in the classes. 4

5 The quantitative results of our research were very encouraging, said Professor Graham Kerr, a neuroscientist with QUT s Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation and the President of Parkinson s Queensland. Overall, the participants saw an improvement in their functional mobility while dual tasking, which is moving their arms and feet simultaneously. We also saw improvements in gait cadence and velocity while walking in a straight line and while dual tasking. Participants physical discomfort decreased, they were more confident with balancing activities and their ability to communicate improved. Head of QUT Dance Associate Professor Gene Moyle, who is also a sport and exercise psychologist and Queensland Ballet Board Director, said qualitative results from the research demonstrated valuable emotional and social benefits. It was truly moving to hear of the significant benefits that so many of the participants reported experiencing, particularly regarding their increased sense of self, enjoyment in life, and of moving past how they, others and society defined them due to the challenges that Parkinson s presents, Professor Moyle said. We observed that participation in these classes and the outside the studio experiences helped restore participants dignity and confidence they reported feeling happier, more optimistic and motivated as a result. Some even reported that the program enabled them to actually identify as dancers, rather than people with Parkinson s, which had a wonderfully empowering effect. UQ Professor Sandy Brauer said, We were quite surprised by the changes to some people, particularly a few of the older men who really took to it and ended up bringing a lot of enthusiasm. A main finding was the improvement in the ability of participants to walk and perform another function at the same time, which is often difficult for people with Parkinson s disease. Falls are a major threat to the 80,000 Australians with Parkinson s disease, leading to injuries, dependency and institutionalisation, so it s a promising step to improve walking which could reduce the risk of falls. Another significant benefit of the classes revealed by the research is that they acted as a gateway activity to further physical, social and arts activities. Besides stretching all the right places and moving to beautiful music, the Dance for Parkinson s Program has given us something priceless; new friendships, a sense of community, hope and broader horizons, said Madonna Brady, a Dance for Parkinson s participant and a coordinator for the Park support group of Parkinson s Queensland. Queensland Ballet continued and is expanded the Dance for Parkinson s program in The findings support and expand the research presented in the University of Roehampton and English National Ballet s Dance for Parkinson s program report based on the pilot research study of their 12-class program conducted between October 2010 and February

6 5. Opera Queensland Following the highly successful Song Cycle in 2014, Opera Queensland and Blue Roo Theatre Company completed the second of their co-productions The Bulimba Opera in This is Australia s first inclusive Opera. Blue Roo Theatre Company is an inclusive ensemble with 28 artists based in Brisbane. It strives to empower people with a disability through arts and theatre. The rehearsal period took palce over 30 weeks. The Bulimba Opera, described as an epic romance in an era of uncertainty, is Australia s first inclusive opera. Set in 1942 during World War II, the opera is about a group of regulars at the old Balmoral pub on Oxford St, Brisbane. The creative partnership between Blue Roo Theatre Company and Opera Queensland s community engagement program, Open Stage, was formed in The Arts Queensland and Centacare Disability Services Queensland funded partnership resulted initially in Song Circle, a song-based production performed over three days at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. Opera Queensland aims to increase participation in the arts with the belief that participation in the arts contributes to community well-being. Co-director Clark Crystal said the origins of the opera are based around an opera ballad written in the 1720s in London by John Gay called 'The Beggar s Opera'. He built the opera around classic Australian folk songs including Waltzing Matilda and Botany Bay. The cast is made up of four professional opera singers and 28 members of Blue Roo our young performers absolutely love being on stage with the singers, he told Quest Newspapers. About three years ago I asked the company: What do you want to do next and they turned around and said, We want to sing. I told them I d go to the top and see the industry leaders. That s when Opera Queensland got on board. 6. State Opera of South Australia The State Opera Disability Access and Inclusion Plan is enshrined in both its strategic and Business Plan, and ensures that members of the community with disabilities have access to the company s premises and to the performing arts venues. These include The Opera Studio at Netley and the Adelaide Festival theatre, both of which are equipped with disability access and facilities for disabled people. 6

7 Information on disability access and facilities is included in State Opera annual season brochures. The State Opera has adopted a practice of encouraging community theatre groups to use the Opera Studio at Netley because the venue provides excellent facilities, parking and access for people with disabilities. The State Opera has also forged strong links with Tutti Ensemble, in a partnership named OPERATU which provides outstanding performance opportunities for performers with a range of disabilities. 7. Sydney Symphony Orchestra Sydney Symphony Orchestra continues its award winning Music4health program which sees SSO musicians perform in retirement homes and hospitals throughout Sydney and NSW. An ensemble from SSO performed for the Autism Advisory and Support Service in Mt Pritchard 8. Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra runs a AccessTix program which targets Tasmanians experiencing disability and disadvantage. The program offers free concert tickets to those who might otherwise miss out on the very special experience of hearing a live orchestra. In ,000 tickets were distributed as part of the AccessTix program. 9. West Australian Symphony Orchestra WASO promotes a workplace that actively seeks to include, welcome and value unique contributions of all people and hence embraces diversity. Diversity includes, but is not limited to, gender, age, ethnicity, disability and cultural background. A diversity action plan is currently being compiled with a view to completion during Harmony Music program visited more schools than ever before, including a visit to a regional school for students with Special Educational Needs. Now in its eighth year, the Hospital Orchestra Project (HOP) program at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children is run in partnership with the School of special education needs: Medical & Mental Health, with support from the Starlight Children s Foundation, who broadcast our visits live throughout their hospital TV network. Both of these programs, importantly, are offered free and address issues of access for students who might otherwise be unable to physically participate in the enjoyment of live musical performance. Community Access In 2015, WASO provided close to 1,600 complimentary tickets to classical concerts to allow the wider Western Australian community to experience the Orchestra on stage at Perth Concert Hall. Tickets were provided to school groups and 7

8 teachers, as fundraising prizes for fetes, raffles and quiz nights, to Companion Card holders and a range of other community groups and not-for-profit organisations. General A number of the majors have also established low price ticket options in partnership with corporate sponsors ($20- $25) - while not targeted specifically at people with disabilities provides another access point that can address ticket affordability issues. 8