As We Are

Artists With Intellectual Disability

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Client

Nulsen Disability Services

My Role

Manager 2019 – 2020
Mentor 2018 – 2019
Coordinator 2011 – 2017

Links

asweare.com.au

Select Media

As We Are Art Award Conditions of Entry, 2019

As We Are Art Workshops, 2016

As We Are Disability & the Arts Forum, 2016

As We Are is an important initiative in Western Australia that aims to bring joy and wellbeing to the lives of WA artists with intellectual disability and those who are part of the creative experience.

Inspired by the creative expression of artists with intellectual disability and a belief in equal opportunities, As We Are was initiated in 2002 as a one-off art award and exhibition and has grown to become a prestigious and significant event on the WA arts calendar. As We Are has since expanded to include a number of initiatives that recognise the intrinsic value of Western Australian artists who have an intellectual disability and their contribution to society through art exhibitions, advocacy, education, and artistic skills development.

My Key Roles

Coordination of annual As We Are Art Award and Exhibition, including opening night
Convenor of Disability and the Arts Network
Coordination of annual Disability and the Arts Forum
Coordination of art skills workshops
Grant-writing and sponsorship
Writing and design of marketing and promotional materials, including tri-annual newsletter, social media and website
Marketing and promotion
Advocacy
Strategic planning
Project documentation, evaluation and reporting

Key Outcomes

Increase from 55 entries to 150 entries per year in the annual Award
Ensuring the continuance of the annual Award within a challenging financial environment
Expansion of the AWA initiative beyond the annual Award to include a range of other programs including art workshops, select exhibitions, pop-up shops etc
Database of 440+ artists and 500+ supporters
Winner of the ‘Excellence in Improving Participation Award’, Disability Support Awards 2016

NEXT PROJECT WALYALUP KANNAJIL COMMUNITY CHOIR

What my clients say

“Susie is a brilliant networker and is able to facilitate creative connections and opportunities for artists. She brings enthusiasm, dedication and a wealth of knowledge to her roles and is full of positive encouragement for others. She has taken the As We Are art program and exhibition to new heights and her determination meant that despite a loss in funding, this year’s exhibition program will still go ahead. Susie always has a smile and a kind word to give to others, is full of creative ideas and with her inclusive and culturally considered attitude, is able to work well with all members of the community. I highly recommend her as a community arts worker.”

Julianne RyanArt Mentor

“As a major sponsor of As We Are, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Susie for nearly a decade. The As We Are Art Award and Exhibition has gone from strength to strength and this is down to Susie’s passion and dedication to creating opportunities for artists with intellectual disability. The annual Award has grown to over 150 entries and is a wonderful celebration of the creative achievements of contributing artists, one the Nulsen community looks forward to every year. Susie’s warm and open-hearted approach to everything she does has seen the As We Are community flourish. Her genuine interest in artists and their supporters is the inspiration behind the expansion of the AWA initiative which now includes arts skills workshops and additional opportunities for artists to exhibit their work.”

Gordon TrewernChief Executive Officer | Nulsen Group

“…. (T)he setting up of the exhibitions and the events themselves were dictated by non-negotiable deadlines and this is where Susie excelled. She could bring out the best in us all, ensuring deadlines were met and at the same time personally greeting and chatting with artists as they dropped their work off. And then again on the night itself. Working with Susie for such a long time was one of the highlights of my role and I was, and still am, constantly inspired and sustained by her passion, her advocacy and the person she is.”

Patti FerberFormer Manager Creative and Cultural Development | Nulsen Disability Services

“I have enjoyed working on many creative initiatives with Susie over about five years. Her patient and humble, yet powerful and committed advocacy means ideas become action. Susie’s skills and dedication has led to many marginalised artists grow in recognition and confidence. Thus making their audiences sit up and take notice.”

Jane DavisFormer Manager Creative and Cultural Development | Nulsen Disability Services

“Susie is passionate about giving people of all abilities the opportunity to participate in community projects and share their stories through art. I’ve worked with Susie on a number of photography workshops. Susie has so many innovative ideas for supporting artists to achieve their goals and an amazing ability to communicate with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.”

Garry WilcoxPhotographer | One Sky Photography

“My admiration for (Susie’s) personal approach, constant sense of calm, humour, respect and compassion she brings along with a raft of skills, some of which she learns as she goes, has produced a successful, significant and joyful event year after year. … Securing funding from grants has been an almost one hundred percent success rate over the years. While perhaps not as eye catching as other stories I consider this a huge achievement because that ongoing injection of funding opens up invaluable and otherwise often inaccessible life experience for the artists. They own and celebrate an annual gala event and the artistic and social development experienced as a result of this journey is irreplaceable.”

Patti FerberFormer Manager Creative and Cultural Development | Nulsen Disability Services