Sydney Olympic Park is set to celebrate deaf culture and Australian sign language (Auslan), with the annual Deaf Festival Sydney returning this Saturday.
The biggest deaf community event in the state will combine entertainment with advocacy in an effort to empower the deaf community this August 26.
Held at Cathy Freeman Park Sydney, the festival will feature a line-up of deaf performers, deaf artists, special guest appearances and renowned international performing artists.
Deaf Connect Chief Impact Officer Brent Phillips said the Deaf Festival is an opportunity to bring the community together to celebrate Deaf culture and Auslan.
“The Festival began its highly anticipated countdown at the event last year. The Deaf Festival Sydney committee has dedicated countless hours to curate an event that celebrates the diversity, creativity, and heritage of our community,” he said.
“We look forward to welcoming deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing Australians from all over the country to Sydney Olympic Park.
“It has been a pleasure working with the community to guide them in the organising of the event and handing the torch over to them. Deaf Connect looks forward to continuing to support the Festival as a proud sponsor.”
Catering to all-abilities and ages, the free event plans to highlight the talents of the deaf community across the arts. From the dance routines of the Deaf Indigenous Dance Group and visual art workshops of Sue Jo Wright, to the Auslan storytelling by Pah.
All volunteers at the event will be fluent in Auslan, with plenty of interpreters set to be available on the ground to facilitate communication between Auslan and English. Live captioning will also be an accessibility feature.
Alongside entertainment, the Deaf Festival will also provide a platform for advocacy and awareness. Stall holders, various organisations and representatives will be present to share resources, information, and support services to empower the deaf community and promote inclusivity.
Glenn Welldon, a long-standing representative from the Deaf Festival organising committee, said he is excited for the Deaf Festival Sydney to return.
“Deaf culture is the heart and soul of deaf community, it is with joy we bring back Deaf Festival Sydney after a hugely successful 2022 Festival, after years of forced breaks due to COVID-19,” he added.
“It’s events like Deaf Festival Sydney that create memories and provide a space where connections are re-established, and our culture thrives.”
To find out more about the Deaf Festival Sydney visit http://www.deaffestivalsyd.org.au.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.