The Terry Brian Kenny Fund was established by Craig Kenny and family in honour of their brother and son, Terry and to support visual arts programs through Arts Project Australia.
Purpose of the fund
The Terry Brian Kenny Fund was established by Craig Kenny and family in honour of Terry and to support visual arts programs for people with a disability through Arts Project Australia.
Terry Brian Kenny passed away at a relatively early age in July 2006 after an enduring battle with mental illness, and in his last 16 years of life, the additional burden of a second disability through being confined to a wheelchair.
Terry was a very talented and conscientious photographer with a wonderful capacity for capturing that special moment on film, especially at family gatherings. During the most challenging periods of Terry’s life there was a wide range of community based organisations that would provide support, assistance and therapy to Terry (and the family) through photographic and arts based programs.
Craig says: “Our family believes a fund named in honour of my brother Terry will be an enduring and fitting tribute, and we were pleased and impressed with the ease and simplicity of establishing this with the Inner North Community Foundation”
What the evidence tells us
Just under one in five Australians (18.5% or 4.0 million persons) reported having a disability in 2009 (ABS, 2009)
Research shows that there are a range of barriers that prevent people with a disability participating more fully or frequently in the arts. These include:
- Financial – cost of admission and capacity to pay
- Transport – transport and parking difficulties
- Physical – inaccessible physical environments
- Interpretive – lack of disabled access features in arts venues, such as hearing loop technology, subtitles and Auslan interpreters
- Information and availability- Lack of accessible information about accessible arts venues and activities in arts marketing materials.
- Training – inadequately trained arts personnel – low levels of disability awareness and skills among staff at arts venues
- Attitudinal – negative views about people with a disability, held by arts personnel and society
- Aesthetic – negative responses to arts practice by and about people with a disability
These barriers can also serve as disincentives for arts practitioners with a disability pursuing a career in the arts.
One organisation the fund has supported is Arts Projects Australia, based in Northcote, a gallery and workspace for artists with an intellectual disability. It has been nurturing and promoting the work of artists for over 30 years, presenting work in a professional manner so that artists are accorded the same dignity and respect as their non-disabled peers.
Your contribution to the Terry Brian Kenny Fund will help people like Terry to reach their full potential in a safe, supportive environment