Accessible information

All our grants information including guidelines and application forms are available in accessible formats, upon request.

Formats include:

• word documents
• audio disk
• Braille
• Easy English
• large print.

Please note that requests for translated materials will need to allow for a six week turnaround time.

Accessible applications

We also accept sections of applications for all our programs in accessible formats. Formats include:

• Auslan
• audio
• video
• printed
• dictated
• electronic
• handwritten formats.

Contact our grants team to discuss your specific requirements.

• email: enquiries@creative.gov.au
• telephone: +61 (0)2 9215 9000 or Toll Free 1800 226 912.

We are committed to ensuring all our events and client meetings are accessible.

This includes ensuring:

• venues are wheelchair accessible
• all promotional material includes an access ‘by-line’ and symbol, indicating that the event is wheelchair accessible
• the ‘by-line’ will also invite guests to notify us of any other access requirements they may have.

We use the National Relay Service to increase access to our programs and services for people who are Deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment.

The National Relay Service is an Australia-wide telephone access service available to anyone who is Deaf or has a hearing or speech impairment.

Visit the National Relay Service website to find out more information and register to use the National Relay Service.

Voice Relay number: 1300 555 727

TTY number: 133 677

Email: helpdesk@relayservice.com.au

Our toll-free number is 1800 226 912.

We offer an Auslan Interpreter Service for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. If you need to use this service when coming to an event or meeting with our staff, please let us know and we will arrange an interpreter for you.

The Interpreter Service is available throughout Australia, including in regional areas.

To ensure an interpreter is available, we will need to receive your request at least two weeks before the event.

We support the use of Indigenous languages. If you would like to discuss your project or submit your application in your first language, please contact an Indigenous language centre.

See the Office for the Arts’ website for a list of Indigenous language centres.

If you would like to speak with a staff member in your first language, please telephone the Translating and Interpreting Service.

Phone number: 131 450 (local call anywhere in Australia).

We also accept applications to our programs in languages other than English, including Auslan. See Languages other than English.

Creative Australia provide free loan of Assistive Listening / Audio Descriptive Equipment to arts organisations for events across Sydney, and maintain a set for internal meeting rooms in our Sydney Offices for visitors or staff available upon request.

Hearing Assistance

Equipment includes receivers that can be connected to headphones or a neck-loop/telecoil connectors for patrons who are hard of hearing, use hearing aids or cochlear implants. These allow the event's audio (microphone, performance or presentation sound) to be delivered directly and clearly to the listener, avoiding background noise, distance or reverberation issues.

Audio Description

Equipment includes receivers and headphones for patrons who are blind of have low vision; this enables a verbal narration (from an Audio Describer) of the key visual elements of a performance, film or exhibition to be delivered in sync with the event.

How it works - equipment features:

• A transmitter (or connection to the venue's sound system) sends the audio signal to individual receivers
• Users wear headphones, or if they have a hearing aid/implant with a telecoil (T-coil) they can use a provided neck-loop connected to their receiver.
• In the case of audio description, a describer (or recorded track) provides a narration of the visual elements which is delivered to the user via the same receivers/headphones. A microphone is provided as part of the equipment, or a describer can use their own microphone and connect to the transmitter directly.

For arts organisations wishing to make an event more inclusive and accessible, please email AudioDescription@creative.gov.au to enquire about equipment availability and services across Sydney.

Terminology Note

These technologies are often called Assistive Listening Systems (ALS), Assisting Listening Devices (ALD), Hearing Assistance Equipment, Audio Descriptive Equipment - the available kit covers both hearing and vision accessibility support.

Easy English is designed for people who have difficulty reading and understanding English. Easy English combines text and images to convey information simply and directly.

The following publications are available in Easy English.

• How to apply for money for your arts project
• How to apply for an arts Fellowship
• How to apply to our Arts and Disability grant
• Connecting Australians
• Ways to make the arts better: What you told us (Sector consultation findings)
• Creating Our Future: Results of the National Arts Participation Survey
• Leadership Program
• Making Art Work
• What we know about diversity in the arts (‘Towards Equity: A research overview of diversity in Australia’s arts and cultural sector’).

You can change the size of the text on our website to suit your preference using your browser setting. If you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer, go to the View menu at the top of your screen, select Text size, then choose to view with larger or smaller type. For other browsers, consult the browser help for details.

You can also view the Web Accessibility Initiative website for useful instructions on How to Change Text Size or Colours.

• Audio description and tactile tours: information available via Vision Australia
• Large print: books available via Random House
• Braille: Braille information technologies information available via Vision Australia. Publications can be found through the National Braille Reserve Collectionat the National Library of Australia
• Auslan interpretation: interpreters around Australia are available through Auslan Services
• Hearing augmentation: information available through Deafness Forum of Australia
• Captioning services: information available via Media Access Australia
• Easy English: information available through Scope’s Accessible Information Service
• Web Accessibility and Usability: guidelines for preparing accessible website content available through the Digital Transformation Office.

• Access2Arts
• Accessible Arts NSW
• Access Arts Queensland
• Arts Access Australia
• Arts Access Darwin
• Arts Access Victoria
• Canberra Arts Access Network
• DADAA WA.

• Raw Law – Your art, your rights
• Picture This: Increasing the cultural participation of people with a disability in Victoria
• National Arts and Disability Strategy
• National Disability Strategy.

• Jo Verrent. Leadership and Disability (57:07)
• 2014 International Day for People with Disability – Caroline Bowditch (57:50)
• Unlimited Discussion 2014 (59:44)
• Disability Action Plan (DAP) 2014-16. Audio version Chapters 1-10
• Three Questions with Tony Grybowski (03:12)
• Disability Action Plan. A montage of work (14:41)
• The Australia Council for the Arts Launch their Disability Action Plan 2014-2016. Tuesday 3 December 2013 (29:42)
• Disability Action Plan (DAP): Panel discussion Number 3 – Arts Practice (06:28)
• Disability Action Plan (DAP): Panel discussion Number 2 – Accessibility (24:34)
• Disability Action Plan (DAP): Panel discussion Number 1 – Leadership (12:03)
• Watch: 2015 Funding information Session (1:22:27).

• Disability Arts International.

Download the accessible version of this website page.