Accessible Arts

What Accessible Arts does

Accessible Arts is a Sydney-based non-profit peak body that advances professional careers and equitable access for artists and arts workers with disability or who are d/Deaf across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. The organisation delivers a portfolio of free programs rather than a unified software product: the Advance Your Career professional development series upskills over 200 practitioners annually; the Next Level Creative Mentorships provide $3,000 project funding plus mentorship to roughly 10 artists per cohort; the Bundanon Artist in Residence Program funds up to five artists for 6-night residencies; the Createability Internship Program places up to 16 interns across NSW arts, screen, and music organisations; and the Ripple program delivers eight paid internships focused on culturally diverse artists with disability, in partnership with Diversity Arts Australia. Complementary offerings include disability, access, and inclusion training and consultancy for arts, cultural, and screen organisations, the Access Ideas and Insights hybrid events and Auslan-interpreted podcast series, the Frame Shift film program with Sydney Opera House, the Songsmiths songwriter development initiative, the "Are You Pulling My Leg?" accessible comedy tour, and the Admit All tiered accessibility framework for NSW live music venues.

Accessible Arts is funded principally by Create NSW (the NSW Government's arts and cultural funding body) with additional support from the federal government's Creative Australia, the City of Sydney, Screen NSW, Sound NSW, Bundanon, and tax-deductible public donations. All programs and services are delivered at no cost to eligible participants. The organisation reaches its audience through a community-led go-to-market motion combining its accessible website, e-newsletter, active social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn), and cross-promotion via a deep partnership network spanning flagship cultural institutions (Sydney Opera House, Bangarra Dance Theatre), sector bodies (NAVA, ADNA, Diversity Arts Australia), and government agencies. Accessible Arts also participates in the Arts and Disability Network Australia (ADNA), the national consortium of state and territory peak bodies, supporting cross-jurisdictional coordination.

The underlying technology is non-proprietary: a content website with accessibility features (text-to-speech, contrast settings, font sizing, multilingual options) and a podcast distribution pipeline via SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. There are no proprietary models, no APIs, and no app. Leadership is headed by CEO Liz Martin, who brings over 25 years of arts-and-disability sector experience and prior board roles including Deputy Chair of Arts Access Australia and membership on Create NSW's Contemporary Music Board. The organisation operates with 26 employees.

Name

Accessible Arts

Legal name

Accessible Arts

Website

https://aarts.net.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Accessible Arts is a Sydney-based non-profit peak body delivering free professional development, mentorship, residency, and internship programs to artists and arts workers with disability across NSW and ACT, funded primarily by Create NSW.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Arts and Disability Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)

akta.pro primary industry

Arts Education & Community Arts Programs (BPAGAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)

Keywords

• Arts disability services
• Disability inclusion training
• Artist professional development
• Paid arts internships
• Arts access consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Accessible Arts receives principal funding from Create NSW (NSW Government arts and culture funding body). Additional support comes from Creative Australia (federal government).
2. Donations: The organisation accepts tax-deductible donations from the public to support programs like Bundanon Artist Residencies and the Advance Your Career professional development series.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Accessible Arts is NSW's peak arts and disability organisation that delivers free professional development, mentorship, residency, internship, and creative initiative programs to artists and arts workers with disability or who are d/Deaf. It complements these programs with paid Training Services and Consulting Services for arts, cultural, and screen organisations seeking to improve disability access and inclusion. Operations are primarily funded by Create NSW and Creative Australia and supported by tax-deductible public donations.

Product overview

Accessible Arts operates as NSW's peak arts and disability organization, offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Training Services (disability and inclusion training for the arts sector), Consulting Services, and Artist Advisory Services. These are supplemented by professional development programs such as the Advance Your Career Series (workshops on fees, rights, access riders), the Next Level Creative Mentorships ($3000 funding plus mentorship), the Bundanon Artist in Residence Program, and internship initiatives (Ripple for culturally diverse disabled artists, Createability for broader arts/screen/music sectors). The organization also delivers public engagement through Access Ideas and Insights events and podcast series, accessible comedy shows, Songsmiths music program, and Frame Shift film program. The portfolio is funded primarily by Create NSW with strategic partnerships across the arts sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Training Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 200 artists and arts workers with disability upskilled annually through Advance Your Career series.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• BundanoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual residency partnership delivering the Accessible Arts and Bundanon Artist-in-Residence Program for artists with disability. Up to 5 artists receive 6-night residencies at Bundanon Estate with bursaries.
• Diversity Arts AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Ripple: Disability and Culturally Diverse Internship Program, supporting culturally diverse artists who are also d/Deaf or disabled.
• Sydney Opera HouseflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on Frame Shift film program and Access Ideas and Insights events exploring disability leadership.
• National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Advance Your Career workshops on artists' rights, fees, and fair pay, introducing NAVA's Code of Practice for Visual Arts.
• Bangarra Dance TheatreflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Access Ideas and Insights event on First Nations Storytelling, exploring Indigenous cultures, identity and empowerment.
• Arts and Disability Network Australia (ADNA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational consortium of state and territory peak bodies for arts and disability. Accessible Arts is part of ADNA working to drive national collaboration and embed access across the cultural landscape.
• APRA AMCOSminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost organisation for Ripple internship program intern Senjuti Maitra.
• Performing LinesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost organisation for Ripple internship program intern Anya.
• Tuggeranong Arts CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost organisation for Ripple internship program intern Elena Akami Hammer.
• PHIVE ParramattaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost organisation for Ripple internship program intern Mei Lin Meyers.
• Blue Mountains Cultural CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost organisation for Ripple internship program intern Denise Nolasco.
• Chau Chak Wing MuseumminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost organisation for Ripple internship program intern Lara-Marie Wilkinson.
• Parramatta CouncilminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost organisation for Ripple internship program intern Sione Puloka.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Arts Access Victoria: Victoria's state peak arts and disability organisation. Directly comparable to Accessible Arts in mission (advancing disability access in the arts) and structure (program delivery, training, advocacy), but operating in a different state.
• Arts and Disability Network Australia (ADNA): National consortium of state and territory peak arts and disability bodies of which Accessible Arts is a member. Closely comparable as the coordinating body for the same mission at a national level.
• Diversity Arts Australia: Australia's peak body for cultural diversity in the arts, partnering with Accessible Arts on the Ripple internship program for culturally diverse artists who are also d/Deaf or disabled. It is directly comparable as a NSW/Australia-wide arts peak body running sector-development programs for under-represented communities.
• Access Arts (Queensland): Queensland's peak arts and disability organisation. Directly comparable mission and service mix (artist development, training, advocacy for artists with disability) within ADNA, serving a different Australian state.

Regional players

• Accessible Performing Arts (UK-based comparators, e.g., Shape Arts): UK arts-and-disability organisation delivering training, artist development and advocacy. Highly comparable mission and program mix but operating in a different geography (UK), making it a regional rather than direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Creative Australia: Federal government arts funding body that is both a funder and ecosystem shaper for Accessible Arts. Comparable as a sector-wide arts body, though at much larger scale and with a broader (rather than disability-focused) mandate.
• National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA): Australia's peak body for the visual arts sector and Accessible Arts partner on the Advance Your Career workshops. Comparable as a sector peak body, but broader in scope (all visual artists, not specifically disability) and larger in remit.

Others

• Bangarra Dance Theatre: First Nations dance company partnered with Accessible Arts on First Nations Storytelling events. Comparable as an arts partner engaging disability and cultural inclusion themes, but not a direct service competitor.
• Sydney Opera House (Accessibility Programs): Flagship partner on Frame Shift and Access Ideas & Insights. Comparable in delivering accessibility programming for artists and audiences with disability, though as part of a much broader venue and presenting organisation.
• City of Sydney (Cultural Programs): Local government partner supporting Access Ideas and Insights events and the podcast series. Comparable as a stakeholder in the arts-and-access ecosystem, though not a like-for-like service provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/accessiblearts
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/aartsnsw
• Facebookfacebook.com/AccessibleArts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/accessible-arts
• Instagraminstagram.com/aartsnsw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Accessible Arts