- 07 3505 0311, 0403 070 661
- info@accessarts.org.au
This award, sponsored by CPL – Choice, Passion, Life, provides Queensland artists with disability up to $10,000 in funding. The award is a game-changer, designed to help artists to create, develop, present, produce, exhibit and/or tour their work whether to extend the life of an existing project or bring new ideas to life.
Michael an accomplished poet, performer, playwright, MC and workshop facilitator, will work alongside dramaturg and playwright Ian Brown, to translate selected poems into a script for a rehearsed reading featuring a talented ensemble of performers.
Michael shares his thoughts on what the award means to him and his plans for the future.
My goal for this grant is to develop a script that translates About a Boy into a multi-artform performance. The themes of this work will generate the sense and experience of loneliness that is like an ache that cannot be explained. My voice and story need a wider audience. I have a dream that my work will change the lives of people with disabilities for the better. I aspire to be a household name in the performance genre. I want to express the story of my journey and explore the human elements we all share.
Michael has dedicated over 20 years fostering creativity and connection within the arts community. As a founding member and leader of the Brotherhood of the Wordless, a collective of non-speaking writers, Michael has inspired countless individuals to explore and express their creativity.
With a record number of submissions to the Access Arts Achievement Award this year, our judges praised Michael’s work, saying
Congratulations, this project is amazing. I am on team genius. This project is a testimony to overcoming challenges and insurmountable odds. The passion required to motivate your achievements is inspirational. Keep doing what you are doing. This is a poignant reminder of the therapeutic, educational, transformative power of storytelling. And having a voice is a birthright regardless of how we express our voice.
Michael’s work exemplifies the profound impact of storytelling in the arts, and we can’t wait to see how ‘About a Boy’ evolves. Stay tuned for updates as Michael continues to inspire change and creativity within Queensland’s arts community and beyond.
Access Arts acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and we pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their unique cultural and spiritual relationship to land, water and seas and their rich contribution to society.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.
Patron of Access Arts
Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM, Governor of Queensland
Supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland