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Embargoed 2pm 10 February 2007

Arts launch new move for CCS

A book launch and photographic exhibition about living with disability at COCA Gallery is part of a larger project, 'Our Stories', being supported by CCS and the Lion Foundation.

The photographic exhibition, "My Name Is...", will have its first showing at the COCA Gallery in Christchurch from February 13 to March 4 2007. It will showcase a collection of the best pieces of Hanne Johnsen who has worked with Canterbury West Coast CCS for the last two years. Glenn Busch's book 'The Man With No Arms and Other Stories' captures compelling and intimate stories of nine people who live daily with the reality of a disability.

"The participant's spoke candidly of growing up, the importance of work, family, relationships, parenthood, of wanting to be treated like everyone else in a world that still chooses to see them as different," said Glenn. "Hanne's images quietly capture many personal moments and show the mutual rapport she has with the people she met," he said.

The COCA Gallery was pleased to act as the venue for the CCS exhibition 'My Name Is...' because of the practical work that CCS undertakes and the way it seeks to ensure disabled people are valued, said Warren Feeney, Gallery Director. "COCA is also supportive of CCS's longstanding commitment to the inclusiveness of disabled people across all levels of society," he said.

The 'Our Stories' project has created an opportunity for CCS to work with the arts community and to create a new level of awareness and dialogue about disability. The project offers, along with the book and exhibition, a website, multimedia presentation, and a Year 5/6 education package. IHC has partnered with CCS for part of this project and is sponsoring two smaller events, a service organisation evening and the "My Story Is.." workshops for children.

IHC New Zealand Inc is very pleased to support CCS on this project, says chief executive Ralph Jones. "The workshops are breaking new ground, because people with disabilities are being profiled as the experts on their own lives. They will be teaching children about what an ordinary life means for them and then the children will make a multimedia presentation that tells a story about living with disability," he said.

CCS supports and works with disabled people and their families to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights, choices and opportunities as all others living in New Zealand.

"The 'Our Stories' project is a far bigger, more varied and more exciting project than was first planned. There is no better way to begin to understand the varied experiences disabled people have in their daily lives than to listen to and see their stories," said David Matthews, CCS Regional Manager, Canterbury West Coast.

ENDS

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