Irene Holub is a Deaf CALD artist, filmmaker, curator, and advocate whose interdisciplinary practice explores human connection through Deaf culture, language, and identity. Working across projection, film, performance, installation, poetry, and multimedia, she uses visual storytelling to reveal unseen languages, lived experiences, and complex emotional landscapes.
Since 2016, Irene has created a significant body of Deaf-led work, including Invisible Skin (2019–2021), Chaos (2022), Deaf Heart (2023), Blue (2024), Manifesto of Silences (2025–2026), and the Creative Victoria-funded Places of Belonging (2022–2024). Her work has been presented nationally and internationally at venues and festivals including Melbourne Fringe, MIFF, White Night, Arts House, Alter State, Counihan Gallery, ACMI, State Library Victoria, and Sign On Screen Festival.
A leader in Deaf arts and cultural development, Irene has over 30 years of experience advancing Deaf culture, accessibility, and community engagement. She co-founded and curated the FLOW Festival (2017–2025), mentors emerging Deaf, DeafBlind, and DeafPlus artists, and has led workshops, community arts projects, and international collaborations across Australia and Mongolia. She is also a pioneer of Auslan art tours, expanding access to visual arts for Deaf audiences since 2018.
Her contributions have been recognised through numerous awards, fellowships, grants, and residencies, including the Lesley Hall Disability Arts Award (2025) and Bundanon Fellowship for Artists with Disability (2026). She has received ongoing support from Creative Victoria and Creative Australia since 2019, with residencies including DEF, Evolve, Gunyah, Arts House, and Bundanon.
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.
- 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
- 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.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
- https://www.artshub.com.au/news/interviews/deaf-artists-lead-the-way-at-this-years-melbourne-fringe-2872174/
- https://firstdraft.org.au/artists/2026/6/19/irene-holub
- https://artsdisabilitynetwork.com.au/ones_to_watch/irene-holub/
- https://creative.gov.au/investments-opportunities/arts-and-disability-initiative
- Arts and Disability Initiative meet the artist – Irene Holub;
