Penny Pollard - Finalist for the 2019 Chief Minister's Inclusion Awards

Penny Pollard is a finalist for the Excellence in Making Inclusion Happen award at the 2019 ACT Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards!

Penny Pollard identifies as d/Deaf, and devises programs for and leads Belconnen Arts Centre’s IGNITE: Alternative Arts Academy, a progressive contemporary and innovative arts collective for artists with disability, mental health issues and the d/Deaf and HOH (Hard of Hearing). Penny’s comprehensive awareness of arts practice, industry and breadth of knowledge about disability fuels unprecedented support and guidance for the IGNITE artists and has been transformational for Belconnen Arts Centre's operations and programs.

Penny actively seeks opportunities to advocate for and provide a voice to people with disability, working with artists to enable them to push for excellence and be ambitious in their creative endeavours. She is involved in the National Portrait Gallery’s Access Advisory Group and Craft ACT's Access Consultative Group. Penny is also the Local Area Coordinator for Meeting Place 2019, the National forum for arts and disability led by Arts Access Australia in creative partnership with Belconnen Arts Centre.