Building an Accessible and Inclusive Tasmania Workshop

What would it look like to work together to create an inclusive state that truly welcomed everyone?

As a business owner/event organiser, it is important to ensure as many people as possible can engage with your operations/events. However, for the 1 in 5 Australians living with disability, there can be a range of access barriers to being able to engage with and participate in certain activities.

Events Tasmania invite you to join Access Consultant Morwenna Collett, to understand more about how to appropriately consider people with disability in your work and how best to cater to different access requirements. The 3-hour workshop will be split into two sessions:

• We will kick start the session with a panel discussion with event organisers from southern Tasmania who have worked in this space. Laura Jones (Marketing and Development Manager at Terrapin), Margo Adler (Executive Director of Beaker Street Festival) and Olivia Bowman (Accessibility Project Coordinator at MONA) will share their experiences on their journey towards making events more accessible to all. Several case studies of Tasmanian businesses who have successfully connected with the disability community will also be shared as a template for what is possible.

• The second part will consist of an introduction to disability and accessibility, including appropriate language, communication, and etiquette around disability and how to alleviate any fears of ‘getting it wrong.’ The workshop will explain audience development and specific considerations around making your business or event accessible. Participants will actively commence their own Access Plan and will be provided with logistical information as well as what to consider and avoid.

Afternoon tea will be provided, along with a networking hour at the end of the workshop, inclusive of light canapes and beverages.

ABOUT MORWENNA

An accomplished leader, consultant and facilitator with 15 years’ experience in the arts, government, not-for-profit and university sectors, Morwenna has worn the hats of CEO, Board Director, project manager, lecturer, researcher, trainer and advisor. She currently works as a leading arts consultant specialising in diversity, access and inclusion, and is passionate about helping arts and cultural organisations to include everyone in their work.

Morwenna is the Chair of the Sydney Festival's Access Committee and helped establish committees for Perth Festival, Sydney Fringe and Sydney WorldPride. She is also a Director of Arts Capital, an arts centre management company in Canberra, and a member of the Contemporary Music Board at Create NSW. Recent consulting clients include the Sydney Opera House, QMusic, Opera Queensland, the Australia Council, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the National Gallery and Taronga Zoo. In Tasmania, she is working with MONA, Dark Lab (Dark Mofo) and The Unconformity Festival.

She has previously been the CEO of Accessible Arts, the Chair of the Sydney Arts Managers Advisory Group and has held various management roles at the Australia Council. In 2020, she completed a Churchill Fellowship, exploring inclusive music programs, venues and festivals which actively engage disabled people across the USA, UK and Ireland. Her work is influenced by her own lived experience as a musician with disability.

Read more about Morwenna at morewennacollett.com