Lecture at OCAD University: Accessibility assessments of public art installations
2025-11-12 11:30 - 14:30 (America/Toronto) | OCAD University, 100 McCaul St, Toronto, Ontario, M5T 1G1, Canada
My colleague Roman Romanov, Sessional Lecturer at OCAD University and fellow Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) Professional, invites Diane Kolin to present the public art accessibility assessments work frequently done by ArtsAbly to his class about accessibility and design.
This presentation is not public.

2025 Joint American Musicological Society and Society for Music Conference – Musicking in Disabled Community: Access Intimacy and Cultural Activism
2025-11-08 13:30 - 15:00 | Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, 1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN, 55403, United States
Organized by the AMS Music and Disability Study Group. Saturday, November 8, 2025. 12:30pm – 2:00pm CDT / 1:30pm – 3:00pm EST
The Music and Disability Study Group of the AMS hosts three presentations and a conversation on the theme “Musicking in Disabled Community: Access Intimacy and Cultural Activism.”
We have chosen three presentations that:

Are driven by the interests and priorities of disabled people;
Involve people collaborating across disability identities, prestige categories, and professional affiliations;
Engage with co-creating disability culture (see Brown, “What is Disability Culture,” ​Disability Studies Quarterly 22:2 (2022) and/or access intimacy (See Mingus, “Access Intimacy: The Missing Link”, 2011; https://leavingevidence.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/access-intimacy-the-missing-link/ ) as a form of resistance to structural ableism.

The presentations will be followed by general conversation on the themes above. All are welcome!
Presentations:

Access Culture at the Cedar – Elizabeth McLain
ArtsAbly and Disability Culture – Diane Kolin
Crip Sonorities – Molly Joyce

Full details: https://www.conftool.pro/minneapolis2025-ams-smt/index.php?page=browseSessions&form_session=258

CCMP Accessibility and Theatre Workshop – Private event
2025-10-04 00:00 - 23:59 | BC
This private event will be a Community Theatre and Accessibility workshop organized by ArtsAbly, for City Centre Musical Productions (CCMP) in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.

Music in the Village - The Village at Black Creek 2025
2025-08-09 11:30 - 2025-08-10 15:30 | The Village at Black Creek, 1000 Murray Ross Pkwy, Toronto, Ontario, M3J 2P3, Canada
The past comes to life in the Village at Black Creek on August 9th and 10th, 2025. The upcoming shows will illuminate the historic village with live performances all weekend long! Travel through time and catch all of the acts by a range of all-star artists!
ArtsAbly is the accessibility advisor for this event. We will be present onsite for the entire festival.
It’s Fab, it’s fun, and it’s FREE!
More info on FabCollab’s website

Celebrate the 50th episode of ArtsAbly in Conversation - June 13 at 6 pm EST
2025-06-13 18:00 - 19:30 | Online
Welcome to ArtsAbly in Conversation with artists! ArtsAbly’s aim is to promote artists with disabilities through the podcast “ArtsAbly in Conversation” available on all streaming platforms and on YouTube. This special podcast episode will be the 50th since ArtsAbly was launched in 2024. It will be a live online discussion with artists who have been guests of the podcast in the past. Let’s discuss the power of artists with disabilities in the arts industry: visual arts, theatre, music, dance, etc. We will share tips, good practices, and examples of accessible venues.
We organize this event so that you can be part of the journey. We believe that all artists interviewed by ArtsAbly should be paid (we usually give a honorarium), but we need your help to reach our goal and continue fund our episodes and promote more artists. Tickets for the event are free but we encourage donations. There are no small amounts. Any support will be appreciated.
Join us online for an engaging session where talented artists share their insights, inspirations, and creative processes. This event is a unique opportunity to connect with artists from various backgrounds and learn about their artistic journey. Get ready to be inspired and gain a deeper understanding of the artistic world. Don’t miss out on this exciting event!
Get your free ticket: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/artsably-in-conversation-50-special-episode-live-online-discussion-tickets-1367090367089?aff=oddtdtcreator
Guests include:

Alex Bulmer, Playwright and theatre artist.
Emily Schooley, Actor and filmmaker.
Kemal Gorey, Media Composer, RAMPD Secretary.
Malicious Sheep, Multidisciplinary artist.
A. Laura Brody, Curator, Founder of Opulent Mobility.
Rory McLeod, Artistic Director of Xenia Concerts.
Traci Foster, Artistic Director of Listen to Dis’.
Stefan Sunandan Honisch, Musician, Sessional Lecturer, Theatre Studies.
Andrew Dell’Antonio, Musicologist, Professor.
Elizabeth McLain, Musicologist, Assistant Professor.
Robin Hahn, Soprano, opera singer.
Deshaymond, Singer, songwriter, producer.
Heather Feather, Children’s performer.

The episode is hosted by Diane Kolin, director and founder of ArtsAbly.

4th Annual Humanities Podcasting Network Symposium: Best Practices
2024-11-08 10:30 - 11:45 | Online
For this fourth iteration of the HPN Symposium, on November 8 and 9, 2024, we find ourselves interrogating, engaging with, and pushing the boundaries of the concept of “best practices” and how it relates to humanities podcasting. Our initial inquiry was born out of a discussion about the need to counteract worker invisibility and exploitation on university campus podcast teams. But this raised a larger, thornier debate: Are there other agreed-upon principles of podcast-making and audio creation? If so, have they emanated from particular forebears and models, or sprung up out of habitual creation like unwritten, but widely understood, common laws? Are there contexts peculiar to podcasting that deserve their own careful ethical treatment or understanding?
Diane Kolin, founder and director of ArtsAbly, will be part of the discussion panel in Session 2: Best Practices for Podcasting as Artistry and Craft, on November 8 at 10:30 AM EST. You can find below the full program of the symposium and the registration link below. The recording of the session will be shared later.
Full program of the 4th HPN annual symposium
Registration link on Eventbrite

Summer break 2024
2024-09-01 00:00 - 2024-09-30 23:59 | BC
All activities of ArtsAbly, including the podcast, will be on summer break from September 1st to September 30, 2024.

PRIVATE EVENT – Concert-workshop with Xenia Concerts: Michael Bridge & Diane Kolin at Safehaven, in Toronto
2024-07-10 15:00 - 17:00 | BC
Xenia Concerts makes a private appearance at Safehaven with a family-friendly concert that embraces neurodiversity and disability! This collaboration between Xenia Concerts and Safehaven provides an inspiring musical experience to the organization’s attendees!
This concert has been designed to be enjoyable and accessible for neurodivergent listeners, those with disabilities, and their families and caregivers.
More information on Xenia Concerts’ website

MHRI Conference: Music, Health, and the Community, in Ottawa
2024-05-21 00:00 - 2024-05-24 23:59 | Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre, 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 7K4, Canada
ArtsAbly participates in a roundtable on May 21, 2024.
2024 Conference announcement
Link to the program

PODIUM 2024 - May 16-19, 2024, in Montreal
2024-05-16 00:00 - 2024-05-19 23:59 | Delta Hotels Montreal, 475 President-Kennedy Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 1J7, Canada
PODIUM 2024, Canada’s national bilingual choral Conference and Festival, is the top meeting place for Canada’s choral and group singing arts sector and community. Presented by Choral Canada and Alliance chorale du Québec, in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal, on the unceded traditional territory of the Kanien’keha:ka, as well as online through our conference app. PODIUM 2024 will bring together hundreds of delegates and thousands of singers and audience members from across the country and beyond who are passionate about group singing.
ArtsAbly will be present onsite for the four days and will animate one of the virtual conferences/talks about accessibility and disability in choirs.
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Abstract:
What does it mean to have an accessible choir? During our life, we all experience a situation during wich we face a certain level of limitation, that might be caused by an accident or an illness. Getting older or having a disability also comes impairment. In that situation, it is frequent that people stop some of their activities. In the case of choirs, weekly rehearsals and concerts might be tiring or difficult to achieve for someone who experience a limitation. However, as stated by Choral Canada and the European Choral Association’s shared Benefits Of Singing public awareness campaign, singing improves physical, psychological, social and educational aspects of choir members. How to reconcile disability and accessibility in our choirs? Whether you want to share your own concerns as a singer or you want to improve the accessibility of your choir, join this session for a conversation about disability and accessibility in choral singing with Diane Kolin, founder and director of ArtsAbly.
More info on https://www.podium2024.ca/

Designing Sound Futures & CAMIN Symposium
2024-03-23 00:00 - 2024-03-24 23:59 | BC
Two days symposium with musicians with disabilities who are working on the future of sound and music. ArtsAbly will be among the guests. There will be a presentation-performance on Saturday and a round table on Sunday. This symposium in by invitation only.

“The Story of ArtsAbly: a Discussion with Diane Kolin on Disability and Accessibility in the Arts.” Lecture at St. John’s College, University of British Columbia
2024-03-13 19:00 - 20:00 | BC
Presentation of ArtsAbly to Masters’, PhD, and Postdoc students from across the disciplines at St. John’s College, University of British Columbia.

International Women’s Day - Roundtable with The Hon. Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities
2024-03-08 13:00 - 14:00 | MP Jean Yip’s constituency office, 3195 Sheppard Avenue E, Scarborough, Ontario, M1T 3K1, Canada
In honour of International Women’s Day, MP Jean Yip will be hosting a roundtable with The Hon. Kamal Khera, Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities on Friday, March 8, 2024 from 1:00 – 2:00pm. The event will be held at Ms. Yip’s constituency office at 3195 Sheppard Avenue E, 2nd floor, Scarborough.
The event will focus on women living with disabilities, including their lived experiences and contributions to Canadian society. Attendees include women living with disabilities and allies. Light refreshments will be served.
ArtsAbly will participate in the roundtable.
By invitation only.
Please RSVP by noon on Wednesday, March 6 to reserve a spot.
