Today, on International Day of People with Disability, Powerhouse announces a landmark partnership with We Are Studios – a 100% disability-led creative organisation based in Blacktown.
Together, the two organisations will embark on a three-year collaboration to embed the lived experience, leadership and creative vision of Deaf and Disabled artists supporting the museum to rethink how disability stories are shared and preserved.
“Disability-led practice is essential to creating an inclusive cultural future. Powerhouse is honoured to partner with We Are Studios to embed lived experience into our collection, our institutional thinking and the development of Powerhouse Parramatta,” said Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah. “This partnership reflects our commitment to transforming how cultural institutions engage with communities, champion accessibility and recognise disability leadership.”
We Are Studios is a pioneering studio that champions disability leadership by creating pathways, mentorship and professional development opportunities for creatives across Western Sydney. Led entirely by disabled creatives, the organisation challenges barriers within the arts and asserts the rightful place of Deaf and Disabled creatives at the centre of contemporary cultural practice.
Over the next three years, We Are Studios will work closely with Powerhouse to reshape how disability narratives are collected, interpreted and presented. This partnership will introduce new approaches to community consultation, embed Auslan and accessible communication more deeply into the museum experience, and foster disability-led thinking within the Powerhouse curatorial process.
A dedicated oral history program will capture first-person accounts from Deaf and Disabled communities across Australia, expanding the perspectives reflected in the museum’s collection of more than 500,000 objects. A research fellowship will also place a We Are Studios leader within the Powerhouse Curatorial team, working with the museum to transform how disability narratives are presented and preserved.
While objects in the Powerhouse Collection, such as the Cochlear implant, demonstrate Australia’s contribution to breakthrough medical innovation, their cultural and personal impact has rarely been explored from the perspective of those who use them. Through this partnership, Powerhouse will move beyond traditional narratives of technological achievement to illuminate the lived experiences of the 5.5 million Australians living with disability.
“Partnering with the Powerhouse is a cultural turning point that embeds Deaf and Disabled leadership inside a major cultural institution and ensures our stories are seen, heard and remembered,” said We Are Studios Co-Founder Ebony Wightman. “Together, we’re reshaping collections, rewriting narratives and driving a national shift towards genuine disability-led practice.”
For more information and to learn more about We Are Studios, visit: www.wearestudios.org For more information about the Powerhouse, visit: www.powerhouse.com.au for details.
Image: We Are Studios by Liza Moscatelli, Mosca Media Australia | Courtesy of Blacktown Arts