Breakdancer wins disability arts prize
Liz Hobday |
Artists Roya A, Rafeif Ismail and Madeleine Little have been named as winners of the National Arts and Disability Awards.
Melbourne-based performance artist Roya A, who performs as Roya the Destroya, won the $50,000 award for an established artist.
Born with one leg, she travels the world performing street theatre and circus as well as breakdancing.
“Movement has always brought me joy and realising how much joy and change it brings to others watching me – it makes my soul smile,” she said.
Brisbane-based Little, who works as an actor and theatre and festival director has won the $20,000 prize for an early career artist.
“As a disabled artist, I still can’t quite see someone in the industry whose career I can aspire to emulate,” she said in a statement.
“So it makes it feel very lonely sometimes, trying to figure out how I can chart my own course.”
The national leadership award went to WA-based multilingual writer Rafeif Ismail.
Originally a refugee from Sudan, Ismail’s writing explores home, belonging and Australian identity.
“As a disabled black woman, it was really important for me to see works that represented people like me,” she said.
The awards announced on Friday were presented by the Australia Council and Arts Access Australia.
The International Day of People with Disability is on December 3.
AAP
