|
|
ArtsAbly's Bulletin
|
|
|
Dear followers, dear friends,
|
September and October (so far) have been very rich for artists with disabilities, and for ArtsAbly too. Between workshops and conferences, knowledge exchange and conversations about the place of disabled artists in the arts world, we met so many great people! Thanksgiving was a few days ago, so I take the opportunity to say how thankful I am for these incredible moments.
|
We will soon start our podcast again, stay tuned for more conversations with artists.
|
|
|
|
Workshop: Disability in the Performing Arts, with City Centre Musical Productions (CCMP)
|
|
|
ArtsAbly gave a workshop about accessibility in the performing arts to members of City Centre Musical Productions in Mississauga, Ontario, on October 4th, 2025. Great group, great interactions! Thank you to all the participants for attending the workshop.
|
|
|
If you wish to organize a workshop, contact us for more information by clicking on the link: Contact us.
|
|
|
|
Conference report: The 2025 DIScover Conference organized by The Disability Collective
|
|
Congratulations to The Disability Collective for the success of the 2025 DisCover conference! Two days of conversations about arts and disability, all the arts trade were represented including funding, administration, communication, castings, community gatherings, and more. Discussions about buildings and stages accessibility, relaxed performances, ASL performances, identity, interpretations, inclusion, collaborations, and artistic practices filled the Daniel Spectrum building in Toronto. Each presentation and panel brought artists of the disability and Deaf community to discuss these important topics together.
|
|
|
|
Disability Arts News
|
|
We regularly share news from the disability arts community, in Canada or elsewhere. Here are a few links we shared on our social media platforms. If you would like us to post an article you find interesting or one of your news, don't hesitate to contact us.
|
|
|
|
Disability Arts Online Launches dis_place: A Game-Changer For Accessible Digital Exhibitions
|
Disability Arts Online (DAO) has unveiled dis_place, a pioneering digital gallery that breaks new ground in accessible exhibition-making. Created by and for disabled, D/deaf and neurodivergent artists, the platform reimagines how art can be experienced online—prioritising accessibility without compromising on quality or aesthetic depth.
|
|
The Imagination Industry Fails To Imagine Artists With Accessibility Needs
|
Despite its reputation for innovation, the performing arts industry is overlooking a critical form of talent: artists and professionals with accessibility needs. This article explores the barriers they face and the solutions they utilize — from stages to behind-the-scenes production. They are building a more accessible entertainment economy and showing how inclusion is a business advantage, not a burden.
|
|
Better concert accessibility promised after talks
|
A man who has been calling for better accessibility at concerts in Lincoln after a "dangerous" experience last year is confident there will not be a repeat. Issues raised from the 2024 concerts included not being able to see the stage, a lack of accessible toilets and cobbles and cables in the accessibility lane. Cuffe & Taylor said it had been "working closely" with Disabled in Lincoln, Lincoln Castle and Lincolnshire County Council to "improve facilities for customers with accessible requirements".
|
|
Sound and visions: Orchestra adds extra dimension for blind concert-goers at new show
|
Events like orchestral concerts are often difficult for low-vision attendees, who are often left with no option but to try and imagine where the music is coming from, in order to fully appreciate the experience. But there was no such problem at this show. It was “audio described” and included a pre-concert tactile tour - which literally allows for patrons who are blind or have low vision to get to grips with the instruments - facilitated by team members from the Auckland-based company Audio Described Aotearoa.
|
|
‘Infinite potential’: How this L.A. dance company is advancing disability inclusion
The Fralin’s “In Feeling” is a multisensory journey through disability and art
|
Infinite Flow Dance founder and CEO Marisa Hamamoto has spent her entire life dancing. A spinal stroke in 2006 during a rehearsal initially left her paralyzed from the neck down. She walked out of the hospital two months later with a new grasp on life. “I saw the human body different,” she said. “I saw dance different.” She also realized that there wasn’t enough access for disabled dancers. One thing led to another, and she founded Infinite Flow. Since opening in 2015, Infinite Flow has performed at more than 350 events, from K-5 school assemblies to 100-person flash mobs.
|
|
The Fralin’s “In Feeling” is a multisensory journey through disability and art
|
“In Feeling: Empathy and Tension Through Disability” at the Fralin Museum of Art does not look like the everyday art exhibit — in fact, upon visiting, museumgoers might ask themselves where the art is. The exhibit opened Aug. 30 and explores how we empathize with others, highlighting the experiences of lived disability through different mediums such as space, music, video, text and drawing. On display through Jan. 4, the exhibit asks viewers to interact, rest and feel in the hopes of challenging the notion of what a museum can be for its audience. With Ainsley McGowan, Molly Joyce, Jeff Kasper, Andy Slater, Park McArthur, JJJJJerome Ellis and Jerron Herman.
|
|
|
|
Support us
|
Thanks to our generous supporters, our activities work well. Even small donations count. Clicking on the "Support us" menu will lead you to options to support us: buy us a coffee on Ko-fi or make a donation via PayPal. Don't hesitate to share it with others. Thank you!
|
|
