Liam McNally
Writers Victoria hosted a forum aimed at bridging the gap between mainstream arts and disability communities at Caroline Springs Library on Thursday, April 27, and is welcoming registrations for ongoing workshops for writers with disability .
The Writability Goes Local forum welcomed writers and aspiring writers with disability, as well as other community members, arts and community development workers, disability and health service providers, teachers, local councils and library staff.
The forum explored how language, writing and telling your own stories helps transform ways of thinking about the self, disability and community.
Developed by people with disability, the forum also provides professional development on the Social Model of Disability and best practice language for organisations.
Presenters at Writability Goes Local included writer, editor and poet Ruby Hillsmith, LGBTIQA+ disability rights activist, writer and educator Jax Brown, and queer, disabled writer and speaker Jessica Walton.
Writers Victoria Writability program manager Jessica Obersby said the forum provided a “lovely sense of community, with everybody able to be open and talk about disability, in a really safe space”.
“The audience was really engaged and there was a lot of participation, great discussion, and Ruby led some writing exercises… people were really keen to participate and share what they had written,” she said.
Writers Victoria will host a Writers Group in Melton for people with disability interested in writing and building their writing skills for creativity and enjoyment. Scheduled to run for eight monthly sessions from May 12, the program will include workshops and author talks aimed at developing an ongoing community of writers with disability.
Details: writersvictoria.org.au/meltonwritersgroup
