Abilities Festival

“Against every expression of cultural imperialism, every dis’, every curse, every stare, every shrug, every layer of presumption, judgment, stereotype, erasure – every judgment that we are ugly, or sick, or tragic, or weak – against these oppressive ideologies we invoke the tools of culture. The tools of narrative, story-sharing and conversation. The tools of naming, language, history, tradition, humour, image and performance. Tools that reflect and interpret the way we live our lives. Tools of solidarity, identity and celebration. Affinity, against aversion.”
— Catherine Frazee, keynote speaker
KickstART Festival of Disability Arts and Culture
September 2004

It's the news so many of you have been waiting for! Abilities Festival: A Celebration of Disability Arts and Culture is coming to Toronto.

Toronto will join other Canadian communities such as Vancouver – and other countries as disparate as Australia, New Zealand, Finland, Russia, Britain and the United States – in showcasing disability arts and culture and in celebrating the diversity and exceptional quality of artistic talent within the disability communities. Abilities Festival is part of a global movement bringing disability arts out of the shadows and into the mainstream.

Mark your calendars now. Be prepared to join us… because for four days in October, 2005, Toronto will be transformed. Canadian and international performing and visual artists will come together in an extraordinary multimedia festival that showcases and celebrates their talents, strengths and achievements as artists with disabilities.

Join us from October 27 to 30, 2005, and be prepared to be entertained and enlightened. Abilities Festival audiences will view authentic images of lived experiences transformed into compelling works of art. Audiences will see how artists with different disabilities have defined new and interesting paths to create innovative expressions of speech, movement, sight and sound.

Abilities Festival 2005 follows in the footsteps of its two recently acclaimed events: Connections 2003, an international exhibition by artists with disabilities; and Projections 2004, an international disability film festival.

Connections 2003 attracted over 215 submissions from 70 artists with disabilities in Canada, the United States and as far away as Morocco and India. Close to 1,000 people visited the exhibition. As a testament to the quality of art displayed, many of the works were sold.

Projections 2004 featured 33 films from eight countries and showcased the talents of people with disabilities while promoting a greater acceptance of differences and a better awareness of similarities. Canadian filmmakers took two of the seven prizes awarded at the festival.

“The feedback we received from both artists and event attendees at these two initial events was truly fantastic,” says Sharon Wolfe, producer of Abilities Festival 2005. “We intend to build on the tremendous success of these previous events to create an event that is more dynamic and encompassing and that sets a standard of excellence that is reflective of the enormous talents of artists that this festival represents.”

To this end, Abilities Festival: An International Celebration of Disability Arts and Culture, 2005, will be both multi-faceted and multidisciplinary. The festival is expanding its artistic base and the disciplines involved to include visual art and film, music, drama and the literary arts. It will incorporate an art exhibition, live performances, film screenings, a video library, literary readings, panel discussions and workshops on many art forms, as well as a speaker’s corner and a specially designed program for children with disabilities.

However, Abilities Festival 2005 will be more than just a showcase. It will be an opportunity for artists and aspiring artists with disabilities, as well as other festival participants, to learn, share experiences and expand their own horizons and opportunities. The festival will mix performances with sessions that will provide practical tips for getting work produced, and for securing the education and opportunities to succeed artistically. It will be an opportunity to awaken children with disabilities to the prospects and possibilities that await them and to challenge youth to strive for excellence regardless of disability.

To engage and encourage children with disabilities, the Abilities Festival will incorporate song and storytelling sessions into the agenda. A province-wide art/poetry exhibition open to all children with disabilities is also planned. Some of the work received from the children’s exhibition will be used in a special event calendar that will be sold during the actual festival.

A lineup of outstanding performers, workshop facilitators and artists is being planned for Abilities Festival 2005. Just a few of the exceptional and diverse artists that we hope to bring to the stage to excite and thrill festival attendees include:
- Adrian Anantawan, a brilliant violinist, winner of the prestigious 2002 VSAarts Rosemary Kennedy International Young Soloists Award;
- Corpulse Danse, a pioneer of integrated dance from Quebec;
- Terry Galloway, writer and director of the zany film Annie Dearest, which was showcased at Projections 2004;
- Moscow Theatre School for the Deaf’s outstanding performance of Chaika, which earned a standing ovation in Washington, D.C.;
- The Realwheels Theatre Project: Skydive!, a physically stylized theatrical presentation that masks and reveals disability, using innovative aerial choreography;
- David Roche, theatre pioneer, humourist performer and storyteller; and
- Bill Shannon, the famed “Crutchmaster” who recently completed a project with Cirque du Soleil, choreographing specific elements for their new production, Varekai, which is currently on tour.

Many more artists and performers are planned or in the works. Over the next year, you are invited to visit the festival website at www.abilitiesfestival.org for regular updates. Most importantly, set aside now the dates October 27 to 30, 2005. Plan to come to Toronto and join in the celebration.

Art and creativity can and do play a critical role in creating a dynamic and vibrant society. Art and culture can also be used as a vehicle for seeing the world from different perspectives and as a means for helping to eliminate the attitudinal and physical barriers that prevent society from benefiting from the full spectrum of creative talent available. Abilities Festival is a tangible way to celebrate this vital role of the arts and in particular the importance and vitality of disability arts and culture.

The potential is enormous. And with the generous support of The Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Government of Ontario, Alliance Atlantis, Famous Players, CHUM
Television, Group of Goldline and other corporate sponsors, private foundations and government agencies in support of the Abilities Festival, we feel certain we'll reach our goal.

However, the participation and support from a broad base of individuals, with and without disabilities, is equally important to ensure that a new era of artists and performers with disabilities receives the exposure, recognition and opportunities that match extraordinary talents and enthusiasm.

Visit www.abilitiesfestival.org for more information about the Abilities Festival.

We acknowledge the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Government of Ontario for their generous funding support for this project.