Irene Holub is a Deaf CALD artist, filmmaker, advocate, and director whose practice explores human connection through the lens of Deaf culture. Her work spans projection, theatre, film, and multimedia forms, grounded in lived experience and shaped by a deep curiosity about communication, language, and identity. Through visual storytelling and poetry, she articulates unseen languages and complex emotional landscapes, creating work that is both intimate and socially resonant.
She has worked across collaborative arts, Deaf arts, advocacy, community engagement, and culturally inclusive creative practice, and is committed to accessibility, representation, storytelling, and amplifying Deaf and diverse voices through contemporary artistic expression.
- Multidisciplinary Arts
- Film and Media
- Community Arts
- Deaf Arts / Accessible Arts Practice
- Arts Facilitation and Workshops
- Advocacy in Arts
1985 – 1991 Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) R.M.I.T ( Sculpture/Printmaking)
Other qualifications linked to education, mental health, linguistics and art therapy available upon request.
- 2016 : MOSS DeckArt Show , Exhibitor
- 2016: Looking in, Looking out” – Joint exhibition with Asphyxia at St Heliers Gallery, 2019/2021
- 2018: Sketchbook Projects Exhibitor, Brooklyn
- 2019 and 2021 “Invisible Skin” – Director at Loop Bar, Melbourne Fringe; FLOW Festival 2020
- 2022: “Chaos” – Director of Projection Art at White Night Bendigo/Melbourne Fringe/AuslanCreative-Arts Northern Rivers
- 2023 “What I Wish I Told You” – Footscray Arts Centre/Performance Video “Mirror Exhibition” – Auslan Poet/Translator at State Library of Victoria 2022-2023: “Places of Belonging” – Director, funded by Creative Victoria
- 2023: Exhibitor/Presenter at Disability Lens on Climate Emergency Exhibition, Climarte
- 2023: Director of “Deaf Heart” – Projection Art funded by Create Lab, Bendigo
- 2024 : Director of “Blue”– White Night Ballarat; Radius Gallery; TOFF-ACMI / Places of Belonging – Counihan Gallery
- “ Movements” CraftLab 24 Exhibitor Ballarat
- 2025: Director of “Manifesto of Silences” – Creative Development funded by Creative Australia, Arts Centre – AlterState and ArtsHouse
- “Moments” CraftLab 25 Exhibitor Ballarat
- “UNSEEN “W.A.R ( Womens’ Art Register) Melbourne
- Words in Winter – Radius Gallery, Hepburn Springs
- Sculptors Vic Exhibitor – Castlemaine
- TOFF-ACMI “ Belonging Am I” screening
- 2026 : Counihan Gallery Screening – Belonging Am I
- Ballarat Artists Exhibition ( Ballarart)
- SelectedWorks and The DSPotPresenter- SignOnScreen, Canberra
- “Enigma” – DEF, First Draft Gallery NSW
- MIFF – SignOnScreen Presenter ( August)
- Daylesford Arts Exhibition ( August)
- Manifesto of Silences, Director/Creative Development -Production ( June – October)
- The DSPot – AlterState Presenter , Arts Centre ( December)
- Big Deaf Arts Day Out/Art Programs for Deaf Youth – 2003 – 2009-Curator/Facilicator
- Victorian Council of the Deaf Arts Director 2006-2007
- Accessible Theatre Polygot Presenter 2012
- FLOWFestival – Deaf Arts — 2017 – 2025 Co-Founder /Curator/Producer
- ArtsHouse Peer Panelist 2025-2026
- Assessor – Grants 2025-2026
- Deaf Television Network – Art Director 1986 -1993
- MadScientists for Sustainability – Rising Sun Award 2013;Beyond Blue – Nomoreblue 2013; DeafSlamJam 2014
- Deaf/Proud@FocusonAbilityFilm Festival 2016
- “State of Deaf Arts,” Arts Centre – Presenter 2019
- Common Threads – Seventh Gallery A.R Presenter 2021
- Sign Poetry Workshop 2023
- Australian Volunteer Program 2023 – 2026
- Deaf Generation Womens – Director/Curator 2024
- Echoes of Silences Film Workshop , Ulaanbaatar 2025
- Reimagined Words Collaboration with Lesia Shelton 2026
- Sign Poetry Workshop, Ulaanbaatar 2026
- Signs of the Times, Presenter Melbourne 2026
- CrossingBorders Arts 2026
- Mentoring Emerging Artists – Joe Monteleone (DeafBlind) 2023 – 2026 ; DeafPlus Artists 2024-2026
- Accessibility and Inclusion Advocacy – Board Member – Arts Access Victoria ;Deaf Australia; Deaf Victoria/Victorian Council of Deaf People; Evolve 1.0/2.0
- AuslanArt Tours – Art Gallery of Ballarat; Geelong Gallery; Bendigo Art Gallery; Archibald
- Art Award – Auslan Translations 2018 – 2026; Axiom: Space 2019 ; Flesh After Fifty 2021
- Lesley Hall Disability Arts Award 2025
- Bundanon Fellowship for Artist with Disability 2026
- EcoChampion 2013
- Creative Victoria Grants 2019 – 2025
- Creative Australia Grants 2019 – 2025
- DEF Residency 2023
- Evolve Residency 2023
- Gunyah Residency 2024
- Evolve Residency 2024
- Warehouse Residency, ArtsHouse 2025
- Bundanon Residency 2026
Her art is a social movement, a documentation of those influenced by the mainstream who have (un)intentionally removed the rights of people to be different, Deaf and proud.
- https://www.instagram.com/ireneholub/
- https://www.facebook.com/irene.holub.3/ https://ireneholub.co
- m.au/art-gallery/
- https://www.facebook.com/100064670680474/posts/1110099131155766/?_rdr
- https://www.artshouse.com.au/events/1880-manifesto-of-silences-development-showing/
- https://www.artshub.com.au/news/opinions-analysis/mapping-the-future-for-disability-arts-in-australia
- https://artsfront.com/member/irene-holub:42683
- https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/festival-and-series/the-kiln/the-kiln-2019
- https://www.artshub.com.au/2021/09/16/australias-first-and-only-deaf-arts-festival-returns/
- https://whitenight.com.au/ballarat/program/blue/
- https://firstdraft.org.au/program/2026/12/12/def-exhibition
Projects
Explore all current and past projects, including art exhibitions, Auslan art tours, and artist residencies to discover the creative initiatives and collaborations I’ve delivered over time.
What's On
Discover upcoming art events, exhibitions and creative experiences that celebrate connection, expression and community.
