Following its appearance at the Palais de Nations in Geneva, an exhibition that supports Indigenous Australians with disability is being hosted at Parliament House this week.
In September, a group of Queensland artists travelled to Switzerland to highlight a program which connects Indigenous Australians with disability through art and traditional cultural storytelling.
Representatives from the First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN) through the Sunshine Coast-based NuunaRon art group showcased their art and spoke about the importance of art and its healing effects for Indigenous people living with a disability.
The group presented at the ‘Culture is Inclusion’ exhibition at the Palais des Nations in Geneva to coincide with Australia’s appearance before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
On Tuesday 3 December, Deputy Premier and Treasurer Jackie Trad and Insurance Commissioner Neil Singleton joined Uncle Paul Calcott from FPDN to launch a second exhibition at Parliament House to commemorate the International Day of People with Disability.
The artworks were created by Indigenous Australians with a lived experience in disability to promote the benefits of art and cultural storytelling in healing and building individual resilience.
“Two of our participating artists are survivors of horrific motor vehicle crashes. One of those has been left with an acquired brain injury requiring lifelong care,” Uncle Paul Calcott explained.
“Many crashes are seen as simple statistics, but through this program we aim to highlight the personal and emotional impact that motor vehicle accidents have on people’s lives.”
MAIC is committed to supporting programs that prevent motor vehicle crashes and help people to recover after a crash.
“We see art and storytelling playing an essential role in communicating our road safety message,” Mr Singleton said.
“We are delighted to support this program both at its appearance in Geneva and here in Brisbane to promote road safety and healing.”
See the artists’ stories or learn more about the NuunaRon art group.