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Writeability: Writers with Disability

Our award-winning Writeability program supports writers with disability wanting to develop their skills and writing careers.

Writeability aims to remove some of the barriers that have traditionally prevented people with disability from connecting with writing and publishing. It provides tools and information to support people with disability who want to tell their own stories in their own way.

The Writeability ethos has been based on the importance of self-told stories, disability-leadership and peer support, and the creation of opportunities for even the quietest voices to be heard.

Writeability is for anyone who experiences barriers as a result of their particular impairment or condition (such as the lack of physical access, communication barriers, discrimination or other people’s attitudes).

This includes (but isn’t limited to) people with sensory or physical impairments, hidden impairments, ongoing medical conditions, intellectual impairments, learning difficulties or mental health conditions. If you self-identify as a person with disability or as someone who experiences barriers as a result of your condition, then Writeability is for you.

Our projects and activities change every year. Check out our Writeability Archive for more information about the program, or visit our calendar for upcoming events. 

For more information about Writeability, contact the Writers Victoria office on 03 9917 8462 on Tuesdays and Fridays or email us.

Writeability Goes Local

Writeability Goes Local is our new creative writing program for writers and aspiring writers with disability across the state. Based on our Writeability Goes Regional and Online program, the program is designed for delivery in partnership with local government,  local writers groups, disability, arts and community organisations. If you would like Writeability Goes Local to come to your local government area, please get in touch.

Writeability Goes Regional and Online

2017-2020

 Writeability Goes Regional and Online was a three-year program for aspiring writers with disability living in regional Victoria. Our Writeability Goes Regional and Online program ran in Ballarat, Bendigo, Moe, Sale, Horsham, Wodonga, Shepparton and Mildura . Writeability writers groups which began with this program continue to run independently in Bendigo, Moe and Sale.

Writeability Fellowships

Our Writeability Fellowships provide five writers with tailored professional development opportunities each year and open in April.

The 2021 Writeability Fellows are:
  • Beau Windon
  • Chim Sher Ting
  • Claire Capel-Stanley
  • Sarah Halfpenny
  • Steph Amir

Writeability Newsletter

Our monthly email is full of information about the Writeability program and other arts opportunities for people with disability. Sign up to receive the email here.

Writeability Resources

The Writers Victoria website has a wealth of writing resources including videos, podcasts, articles, Q&As and stories to share.

WV welcomes deaf writers

See our below video for an introduction to this website in Auslan. This video was produced by Sign Language Video Productions thanks to the support of Arts Access Australia.

Accessibility

You can read more about how to use this website or find information about building access and how to get here.

Or contact us for more information.

With thanks

“There needs to be more people with disability telling our stories across all types of media. Telling our own stories educates, reduces stigma, pity, exploitation and sensationalism, and raises the level of expectation that society has about people with disability” – Writeability tutor Carly Findlay

The Writeability program began as a partnership between Writers Victoria and Arts Access Victoria. Writeability is made possible by the generous support of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, Grace Marion Wilson Trust, Australia Council for the Arts and the Australian government through the Department of Communication and the Arts’ Catalyst—Australian Arts and Culture Fund.

Writeability is also grateful for the support of the City of Melbourne, Copyright Agency Ltd, the Ian Potter Foundation, Perpetual, the Australian Government through the Australia Council, and the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria. The development of this accessible website and Writeability Archive was made possible by Gandel Philanthropy in 2015.

Writeability sponsor logos.
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