Central to the NFSA’s work is our mission to tell the national story in all its diversity. Inherent in this work is the recognition that disability forms an integral part of the diverse picture of our Australian community. As such, the NFSA puts inclusion at the forefront of all our activities.

About the DIAP

In formulating this Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP), we collaborated with Accessible Arts, the peak arts and disability organisation in NSW. We also engaged with a diversity of stakeholders, including partner organisations, community members and staff, who provided their insights and feedback on access and inclusion at the NFSA.

The NFSA embraces the social model of disability. We recognise that the barriers a person with disability experiences are from the environment and the society they live in and are not inherent to their condition. By shifting the focus from a person's medical diagnosis to barriers that may cause marginalisation through limiting participation, representation, autonomy and self-expression, we are empowered to make change by addressing these barriers.

From the CEO

We have taken the opportunity to interrogate what services we provide, as well as how we provide them. Services such as ramps and audio describing are critical, but so are our collecting and programming policies that define what we collect, and what we select for screening, streaming and display.

Ensuring that Australians living with disability see themselves in our collection is as important as offering the collection to others to help them see the world from different vantage points.

Patrick McIntyre,
Chief Executive Officer

Members of the band Rudely Interrupted in the rock documentary Rudely Interrupted (2009). NFSA title: 796531

Our goals

We have set ourselves the following goals to achieve over the course of this DIAP, to improve accessibility and inclusion across the NFSA. In each of these four areas, we have developed a range of strategies and actions to deliver over the next four years.

1. We reflect inclusive attitudes in all aspects of our work and through our connections and collaborations. Positive attitudes enable, engage and empower inclusive behaviours, reflect the society we live in and tell the Australian story.
2. We are committed to providing access across our physical and digital spaces and to celebrating stories that represent the disability community.
3. We are dedicated to supporting the diversity, inclusivity and accessibility of our workplace. We will ensure people with disability have equal opportunity to gain and retain employment within an inclusive workplace culture. We maintain an ongoing commitment to learning and development around inclusivity and social awareness of disability.
4. We embed access and inclusion into our systems, processes and technology, through a framework of regular feedback, review and reflection.

Download the plan

Accessible versions of our DIAP are available in the following formats:

Hard copy formats are also available to borrow from reception, or contact us.

Lee and Nasir in the web series The Streets Barber Stories (2019). NFSA title: 1638221

Plan your visit

Find out more about accessing our Canberra building in Acton.

Contact us

We value community feedback and encourage you to share your thoughts and experiences with us to ensure our continued improvement and progress in meeting the goals in our DIAP.

For general enquiries, feedback and services, please contact:
enquiries@nfsa.gov.au
+61 2 6248 2000
Toll free (within Australia): 1800 067 274