Recipients of grants totalling more than $219,000 through the 2026–27 Richard Llewellyn Deaf and Disability Grants have been announced.
Named for South Australian disability advocate Richard Llewellyn, these annual grants support development and project outcomes for professional practicing d/Deaf and disabled artists. Applications are assessed by a multi-art form panel of disabled artists and arts workers.
We received a record number of applications this year, with half being recommended for funding across a range of activities, including literature, visual art, craft and design, and performing arts.
Funded highlights include:
- $3,000 for Pitjantjatjara artist Kushia Young to undertake intensive one-on-one mentoring with established and acclaimed Arrernte and Kalkadoon painter Thea Anamara Perkins.
- $9,894 for multidisciplinary artist Emiko Artemis to develop their project Inclusive Textiles and the Disabled Body. Emiko will collaborate with Tara Pattenden of Cyber Palace, a disability-led tech maker lab in Brisbane.
- $10,000 for burlesque and dance artist Bonnie Williams for a creative development of PERMISSION, a new performance work about human connection merging cabaret, dance, theatre and circus elements.
- $25,000 for all-autistic theatre ensemble Company AT for Secrets You Haven’t Heard, a new site-specific theatre experience featuring monologues by ensemble members about their experience of autism.
- $24,999 for AACC Cohort for WEIYU, a knowledge sharing program designed to develop the next wave of arts access coordinators and consultants in South Australia. Leading community arts and cultural development organisation ActNow Theatre will host the program.
Funding will support activity expected to employ 101 artists, arts workers and others, with over 6600 employment hours anticipated.
The tables below capture all recommended applications.
Professional development – first step grants
| Art form | Applicant | Project title | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visual art, craft and design | Ms Kushia Young | Artistic Practice Mentoring with Thea Perkins | $3,000 |
| Visual art, craft and design | Mx River Ball | New Body of Work | $3,000 |
Professional development – individual grants
| Art form | Applicant | Project title | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literature | Ms Aimee Knight | Heart of Felt: How Jim Henson’s Muppets Taught Me to Be a Person | $7,462 |
| Visual art, craft and design | Mrs Gail Hocking | Nested Erratics - an UNforgetting | $9,501 |
| Visual art, craft and design | Mx Emiko Artemis | Inclusive Textiles and the Disabled body | $9,894 |
| Visual art, craft and design | Mr Nigel Matejcic | Mentoring for a Mission | $6,753 |
| Performing arts | Ms Cinzia Schincariol | Eutopia Residency and Body Mind Centering course | $5,615 |
| Performing arts | Ms Katherine Sortini | An International Producing Mentorship with PETA | $6,608 |
| Performing arts | Mrs Carlie Angel | 2nd stage development of new dance work ‘Our Beautiful (Fu#k@ng) Grief’ (working title) | $10,000 |
Project – individual grants
| Art form | Applicant | Project title | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performing arts | Miss Natalie Orrico | Creation of Two Singles and Accompanying Visuals | $10,000 |
| Performing arts | Ms Aimee Crathern | My One Woman Show - Stage 1 | $10,000 |
| Performing arts | Ms Bonnie Williams | Permission | $10,000 |
| Performing arts | Ms Katherine Sortini | Beneath The Mountain Second Creative Development | $9,144 |
| Literature | Dr Katerina Bryant | Writing 'At a Loss' | $10,000 |
| Visual art, craft and design | Miss Chloe Noble | Solo Art Exhibition - 'shelter without safety' | $6,330 |
| Visual art, craft and design | Mr Scott Pyle | Cutback – Scott Pyle Retrospective Exhibition | $10,000 |
| Visual art, craft and design | Miss Megan Long | Parliament of Imagination | $10,000 |
| Visual art, craft and design | Mr Lewis Constantine | LEWIS CONSTANTINE - JUMP LEFT ART.CO.LAB | $10,000 |
Project – organisations and groups grants
| Art form | Applicant | Project title | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Performing arts | Collectif: Arc en Ciel | Collectif: Arc en Ciel - The Violet Ray | $22,000 |
| Performing arts | Company AT | Secrets You Haven’t Heard - Company AT | $25,000 |
| Performing arts | AACC Cohort | WEIYU: Generating the next wave of Arts Access Coordinators and Consultants | $24,999 |
Image: Artwork by Nigel Matejcic, nigelmatejcicartisticexpressions.com.au/art
