Delivered virtually over four afternoons and two evenings in November 2020, the National Gallery of Australia’s Know My Name Virtual Conference brought together leading and emerging Australian and international voices from arts and academia.
Foregrounding First Nations perspectives and diverse voices — and with inclusion and best practice accessibility as a key priority — the conference considered historical and contemporary experiences of gender and feminism in the arts. The program included keynote presentations, in conversations, panels discussions, live Q&A’s, artist performances and breakout sessions.
The conference was held in the lead up to the opening of the major exhibition ‘Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now’, which celebrates the work of all women artists with an aim to enhance understanding of their contribution to Australia’s cultural life.
As the Gallery’s most extensive and ambitious virtual event to date, the conference provided participants of all backgrounds and abilities a voice, and set the benchmark for how online cultural events should be experienced in the future.
Evise, the event was a thought-provoking virtual experience that has subsequently been recognised as an exemplar for the disability and visual arts community for digital engagement in Australia.
Delivered on a purpose-built platform, the conference enabled delegates to select from three discreet access experiences. Depending on preference, participants experienced the conference with Auslan interpretation and captions, with audio description, or with video and audio only, while participating in a single, shared discussion and live questions board. Accessibility enabled diverse and inclusive participation that ensured rich conversations around barriers to recognition and success in the visual arts for all women. It also demonstrated the National Gallery’s commitment to representation and inclusion.