As we mark International Day of People with Disability, we celebrate Parramatta Artists’ Studios (PAS), recipient of the Accessible Arts Award for Access and Inclusion at the 2025 IMAGinE Awards. PAS stands out as a leader in the sector, embedding equitable access for Deaf and Disabled artists and audiences across every part of its work.
As Western Sydney’s leading incubator for contemporary art, PAS places artists and communities at the centre of Parramatta’s cultural identity, championing equity, access and cultural leadership. This year’s award recognises their sustained, practical, and collaborative approach to removing barriers and strengthening participation across the sector.
In 2024/25, PAS undertook an extensive program of improvements designed to reshape access from first contact through to ongoing participation. Central to this was a full redesign of pre-visit information, resulting in comprehensive Visual Stories for their Granville and Rydalmere studios and the Artist Residency Apartment. These resources, developed in collaboration with Morwenna Collett and Frances Robinson and refined through community feedback, provide step-by-step guidance using plain English, photos, sensory notes and symbols, ensuring visitors can plan with clarity and confidence.
To support equitable access for artists applying for studio spaces, PAS introduced a disability-led online information session delivered with Auslan and live captioning, as well as free one-to-one application support with Morwenna Collett Consulting. These measures directly addressed procedural and time-based barriers, enabling Deaf and Disabled artists to engage with the process through pathways that suited their needs. This work was further supported by an organisation-wide Cultural Safety & Accessibility Questionnaire for incoming artists and Hidden Disabilities Sunflower training for staff.
PAS also expanded inclusive public programming. Their youth program, Bare Skills, now incorporates a dedicated quiet space and a sensory-friendly layout, with participants reporting increased calmness, confidence, and a sense of welcome. On 3 December 2024, for International Day of People with Disability, PAS delivered a hybrid, Covid-safe, disability-led Crafternoon: Mask Decorating workshop. Led by artists M. Sunflower, Ambly Ornis and Covid Solidarity ‘sydney’, the event included an online option, strict masking, a pre-emailed Visual Story and an accessibility form, centering disabled leadership and health equity
Together, these initiatives demonstrate a joined-up access model that reduces barriers, builds trust, strengthens relationships with Deaf and Disabled communities and embeds disability leadership throughout PAS activities.
