Pat Swell

 

Bio

Having worked briefly for the British Museum and Imperial College Library, Pat found her passion in arts management coordinating major exhibitions in Mayfair for the National Book League, most notably The Bloomsbury Group and Jean Cocteau. Then as Education Officer for The Poetry Society she delivered poetry programs for children across England, Scotland and Wales. Head of Marketing for Derby Playhouse, Co-Director of Buckinghamshire Arts Association and Senior Officer at Arts Council England followed, where she managed capital grants of up to £5 million each. In 2008 as Strategic Director to Milton Keynes Theatre and Gallery Company Pat spearheaded the campaign that raised £462,000 of new recurring funding during the recession which founded the now successful ‘IF’ International Festival in Milton Keynes.

Pat migrated to Adelaide in 2009. In 2010 she accepted the post of General Manager for Backbone Youth Arts, relocated to Queensland, and in 2012 was appointed Chief Executive of Access Arts. Pat is proud of the new arts

opportunities for people with disability initiated by Access Arts over the past decade. In 2013 she established the partnership with KPMG Queensland that has resulted in a major exhibition for our artists each year, 2014 became the first year we delivered the annual Access Arts Achievement Award funded through private sector support, 2015 saw our inaugural biennial Undercover Artist Festival – Australia’s premiere disability-led performing arts and disability festival, 2018 we established our artists’ second major annual exhibition at St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital with sponsorship from MinterEllison, 2019 Pat led Access Arts’ transition to CPL opening a whole new world of opportunity for our artists, 2020 she ensured business continuity throughout the pandemic introducing online exhibitions and performance outcomes for our participants and an Undercover Artist:Online program, 2021 saw Access Arts delivering two new capacity-building programs in leadership for arts professionals with disability, and 2022 we piloted regional development in Townsville. 2023 sees us celebrating Access Arts’ 40th birthday.

Pat serves on Arts Access Australia’s National Leadership Group, Arts Health Network Queensland Strategy Group, Evolution of Disability Arts in Australia Steering Committee, and Mega Cooperative Research Centres Partner Engagement Forum co-ordinated by University of Queensland.

Join Pat for “What’s the Difference?” at QDEC23

Workshop Description

The late Australian actor, comedian and disability activist Stella Young once said: “We’ve been sold the lie that disability is a Bad Thing.  And makes you exceptional.  It isn’t a Bad Thing.  And doesn’t make you exceptional.”  Stella also said “I dance as a political statement, because disabled bodies are inherently political, but I mostly dance for all the same reasons anyone else does: because it heals my spirit and fills me with joy.” On a journey through some of Access Arts’ dance projects we’ll explore – what’s the difference?

Pat Swell | Access Arts

Ausdance Queensland