Performing Arts
Disabled Surfers & Artists to Benefit from Community Grants
Several Tasmanian organisations are among approximately a hundred regional organisations to benefit from this year’s Westpac Foundation Community Grants.
Among this year’s recipients are Disabled Surfers Association of Australia and Second Echo Ensemble, who have each been recognised with a $10,000 grant. Their grants were awarded in partnership with the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR).
Susan Bannigan, Chief Executive Officer of the Westpac Foundation, said the rural grants have been designed to assist those in rural areas who have had a challenging year.
“Supporting organisations focused on employment, education, and training is at the heart of our strategy,” she said. “By partnering with FRRR, this has enabled us to leverage their expertise in rural, regional and remote areas and extend our reach to help these communities in need.”
The Chief Executive Officer of the FRRR, Natalie Egleton, said:
“Rural and regional communities play a vital role in Australia’s prosperity and vibrancy. They are facing continuing challenges to growth and development – from drought, to bushfires, to floods, and now COVID-19.”
Targeted financial support for education, training and employment pathways is critical during these times, particularly for vulnerable groups, she said.
In addition to funding, all grant recipients receive pro bono support and access to leadership development programs, legal support, and financial capability training via Westpac’s Changemaker program.
“While access to funds is incredibly important, the collaborative support we also offer through our program partners has become integral in driving these deeper relationships with our grant recipients,” Bannigan said. “The heart of our strategy is focused on supporting local organisations that provide employment, education, and training opportunities in Australian communities to help those in need.”
The Disabled Surfers Association of Australia
The Disabled Surfers Association of Australia enables people with a disability to experience the joy of surfing and going to the beach, often for the first time. It is dedicated to making a difference for people living with a disability in Tasmania.
The organisation is established around Australia. A new branch at Clifton Beach is currently being set up.
Daffy Chisholm, the secretary of the Disabled Surfers Association, said:
“The therapeutic, physical, and personal benefits of the ocean are indisputable, with surfers acknowledging and embracing these benefits. Through our events, disabled members of the community can experience social interaction where we work to break down barriers and put ‘smiles on dials’.”
The Second Echo Ensemble
Kelly Drummond Cawthon, the creative director of Second Echo Ensemble, said:
“Artists living with a disability are underrepresented, only making up 9% of the working artist population, despite 4.3 million Australian’s identifying as living with disability [source: Meeting of Cultural Ministers (2018), Research Overview: Arts and Disability in Australia]. Performance by people with a disability is often marginalised and performers regarded as less skilled but worthy of support for the sake of their disability.
Second Echo Ensemble works to re-frame disability and employ artists living with disability as equals alongside their colleagues. Being a part of the creative workforce recognises and values us all as part of our diverse culture.”
You can see a little of their work in the behind-the-scenes video below. This work, Contested Land, premiered in 2017.
