Feature: Award-winning News from ADA

Ms. Liu Tun Mui, ADA Angel (second right), Ms Christina Wong (third right) and Mr. Yeung Tak Wah (fourth right), vice-chairperson of the Association, with other awardees of the

Mr. Ko Nam, ADA Angel (second right), Mr. Roger Wan (third right) and Ms Ida Lam (fourth left), chairperson of the Association, with other awardees of the
Ms. Liu Tun Mui, ADA Angel (second right), Ms Christina Wong (third right) and Mr. Yeung Tak Wah (fourth right), vice-chairperson of the Association, with other awardees of the "Arts Promotion" Award.

Mr. Ko Nam, ADA Angel (second right), Mr. Roger Wan (third right) and Ms Ida Lam (fourth left), chairperson of the Association, with other awardees of the "Arts Education" Award.

Dr. David Fang, SBS, JP (sixth left), Honorary President of the Association attended the award presentation ceremony with the chairperson, advisors, committee members, staff and artists with disabilities. 
Dr. David Fang, SBS, JP (sixth left), Honorary President of the Association attended the award presentation ceremony with the chairperson, advisors, committee members, staff and artists with disabilities.

Arts with the Disabled Association (ADA) Hong Kong Won "Arts Promotion" and "Arts Education" Awards

(April 27, 2010) The Arts with the Disabled Association (ADA) Hong Kong (Hong Kong affiliate of VSA arts) won the "Arts Promotion" Silver Award, and the "Arts Education (Non-school Division)" Bronze Award from the Hong Kong Arts Development Council's (HKADC) Arts Development Awards 2009. The "Arts Promotion" award is for ADA's Inclusive Arts Studio (IAS) and the "Arts Education" award, conferred upon ADA the second time, is for its multi-disciplinary arts education programmes.

Infusing Inclusive Arts into the Communities

In 2008, ADA established the first-ever inclusive arts studio at a mainstream arts setting in Hong Kong. Located at the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC), the ADA Inclusive Arts Studio (IAS) employs universal design concepts to meet the needs of persons with disabilities, in the design of both the premises and the programmes it offers. The result is a barrier-free environment that allows persons with different needs to engage in the arts. Under the same canopy, persons with and without disabilities, across all ages, can partake in the arts inclusively. ADA proactively collaborates with different NGOs, rehab organizations and schools in the neighbourhood to establish a community network to enable inclusive arts to infuse into and flourish at different communities, thereby benefiting more persons with disabilities (PWDs).   

The set up of IAS at JCCAC is intended to bring together persons with different abilities to enjoy arts under the same canopy – to live out art and inclusion.
The set up of IAS at JCCAC is intended to bring together persons with different abilities to enjoy arts under the same canopy – to live out art and inclusion.

 

Promoting Inclusion through Arts Education

ADA provides multi-faceted arts education programmes, at both broad-based and professional levels. General arts education helps to arouse interest and popularize arts among PWDs, while tailor-made professional development progammes aim to nuture talented PWDs and to raise their professional standard. ADA also provides training for trainers and volunteers. Together with artists with disabilities, public education programmes are conducted in various comminities to promote inclusion through the arts. ADA has always been a pioneer in introducing methodologies and expertise from overseas. The School of Playback Theatre (HK) set up in 2008 has been providing structured training in Playback Theatre in line with international training standard.
 

 Overseas artist facilitator Sue Trainor conducting a Trainers' Training workshop in JCADS, sharing with the participants, including PWDs and non-PWDs, how to integrate music in education. Different programmes such as the Different programmes such as the

(Left) Overseas artist facilitator Sue Trainor conducting a Trainers' Training workshop in JCADS, sharing with the participants, including PWDs and non-PWDs, how to integrate music in education.
(Center & Right) Different programmes such as the "Jockey Club Arts for the Disabled Scheme" (JCADS) and Social Welfare Department's "Creativity to Independence" popularize arts among PWDs, regardless of age and ability, so that everyone can learn art together and enjoy the pleasure.

New Services for Audience Development

The provision of suitable supportive services would enable PWDs to enjoy arts without barriers, thereby arousing their interest in the arts which would in turn help to develop a broader audience base. In recent years, ADA has introduced various arts accessibility services for audience development. Examples are "theatrical interpretation" which integrates sign language, visual communication techniques and body movements, and "audio description" which translates visual images / movement to audio cues. These programmes provide alternative means through which persons with hearing or visual impairments can enjoy the arts. Where deemed necessary, such arts accessibility services are now incorporated into all ADA programmes. Through feedback from those PWDs who have made use of such facilities, the Association will further enhance its service quality. It also hopes to arouse more awareness among the general public on the rights of PWDs to access arts activities.
 

Exploring Resources for Holistic Development of Arts Inclusively

Since its establishment nearly one quarter of a century ago, ADA has been relying on public donation or sponsorship to provide funding for all its prgrammes. We are happy to see a growing awareness among the public about arts with PWDs. Hong Kong has also nurtured a group of elite artists with disabilities who, with their artistic excellence, have become Hong Kong's cultural ambassadors. They help to enrich our society with more cultural diversity and creativity, which are essential elements for Hong Kong as one of China's major city and a world metropolis. However, to realize ADA's vision "Arts are for Everyone", we need to continue to strive hard. We will continue to explore different resources to enhance programme quality and arts accessibility to benefit more PWDs, In a long-run, Hong Kong needs a more holistic and all-rounded strategy for the sustainable development of arts with PWDs.

Foot-painter Chan Tung Mui in ADA's
Foot-painter Chan Tung Mui in ADA's "public education programme", sharing and demonstrating with secondary school students how arts can be created in different ways.


"VSA arts Institute", co-orginazed VSA arts and ADA, brings overseas experience to Hong Kong and provides a platform for practitioners in the field to share experiences.

 

Looking into the Future: Arts are for EVERYONE

Arts, is an indispensible nutrient of life. It is a gift that everyone should be able to enjoy when one is born, regardless of race, gender, age and ability. The path to develop arts with PWDs is a long one. But the support of various partners has enabled ADA to accumulate professional experience to become a pioneer in the field and to bring arts with PWDs to new heights. We believe that one day, there will be no distinction between arts with PWDs and the mainstream art, and that persons with and without disabilities can appreciate and enjoy the arts without any barriers. We believe that with your support, this path will be a more accessible one.

About Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong (ADA) 

Formed in 1986, ADA is the only organization and pioneer dedicated to the holistic development of arts with persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Hong Kong. ADA established the Inclusive Arts Studio (IAS) at a mainstream arts setting, the Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre (JCCAC), and join with different communities and mainstream art fields to promote inclusion through the arts.

ADA is a non-profit and charitable organization, with no recurrent funding from the government. Our operation and programme costs are supported by public donations and project grants. With a vision "Arts are for Everyone", ADA aims to bring arts to everyone, regardless of (dis)abilities and would be happy to make suitable arrangements for PWDs to make arts accessible to all. To know more about ADA and how you could support our work, please visit our website: http://www.adahk.org.hk/.

IAS is a hub for Playback Theatre. Apart from offering formal Playback training through the School of Playback Theatre (HK), IAS is a worldwide pioneer to offer both theatrical interpretation and audio description in its

IAS is a hub for Playback Theatre. Apart from offering formal Playback training through the School of Playback Theatre (HK), IAS is a worldwide pioneer to offer both theatrical interpretation and audio description in its "Playback for ALL" performances.  

Please feel free to download Souvenir Book of Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2009 (whole book) / parts related to the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong (Extract)

Please visit the official site of the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2009 for further details: http://artaward.hk/

 



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