Artists of Ability Festival a unique showcase of talents
People with disabilities often find themselves defined by what they can’t do, but an upcoming Saskatchewan festival will give them the opportunity to showcase not only what they can do, but what they can do well.
Through the Artists of Ability Festival, which will be held Oct. 19 to 21 in Regina, Saskatoon and Prince Albert, artists with disabilities and artists who create work related to disability will be featured. “Some of their work may reflect issues or world views from the perspective of disability, but often it is just artwork created by an artist living with a disability who has learned to accommodate and adapt to create their art,” said Maggie Dixon, provincial coordinator of the festival.
The performances and gallery exhibits will feature works by artists who range from those who are just beginning to hone their craft to professionals. The festival will, however, be more than just a showcase for visual artists, dancers, musicians and other performers. They will also come together to take part in workshops, networking and panel discussions.
“It will create opportunities for artists to learn what kinds of supports are out there: the fact that CARFAC [Canadian Artists’ Representation] offers marketing workshops for artists, that there are individual grants available to artists through the Saskatchewan Arts Board and travel grants through The Canada Council for the Arts. There will also be discussion about the gallery process: how to apply for an exhibition, what to expect, how to promote yourself, how to do some marketing… information that allows people to participate on a broader scale,” said Dixon. Workshop topics will also include Self Care for Artists, presented by artist and facilitator, Loretta Iris, and a creative writing workshop by Prince Albert writer Lynda Monahan.
Dixon stressed the importance of developing a provincial network of artists with disabilities. “In Saskatchewan, there’s been a lot going on in small pockets – here and there in individual cities and so forth – but not necessarily a provincial connection and awareness or a network and mutual support system.”
John Dale, who will be performing at the festival, is a guitar-player and singer who was born with just two fingers on one hand. Dale hasn’t let that stand between himself and a lifelong desire to express himself through music. By testing a succession of prostheses – the first of which he and a co-worker fashioned from Velcro and a milk jug – he is now able to play lead guitar in his band, Johnny 2 Fingers & the Deformities.
He compares taking part in the Artists of Ability Festival with going to Camp Easter Seal, an experience that first led him to playing the guitar. “Originally, I wanted to do accordion like Weird Al, but I knew I didn’t have enough fingers to play that, and I sort of gave up the idea of playing an instrument. Then I saw a kid at camp [playing the guitar], and I thought if that young kid could do it, how hard could it be?” He admits, though, that it was not a simple undertaking. “I was about 17, and I was really naïve – it was a lot harder than I envisioned.”
Dale persevered, though, and has been so successful that he and his band are now on a 21-day, 15-show tour to promote their new album, Built to Rock and Roll.
Christine Strauss’s work will also be featured at the festival. She is a visual artist who uses a power chair for mobility and has limited use of her hands due to osteoarthritis. Since she was diagnosed as a young child, art has been a key factor in helping her cope with trauma and long hospital stays.
Strauss uses a combination of hand drawing, computer programs and water colours. Her artwork was selected for the colouring pages and the cover of a Spinal Cord Injuries Saskatchewan colouring book. Her artwork is on display at www.patreon.com/inspirationsByCS.
Like Dale, she appreciates the opportunities the Artists of Ability Festival provides. “I really hope this becomes an annual event because it’s a great way to show that there are a lot of talented people with mobility challenges out there, and this is a great avenue to display their talents,” she said. “Just having my name out there, having my artwork seen by people, is a great thing for me.”
Admission to the festival, which is sponsored and led by Spinal Cord Injury Saskatchewan, is free and open to the public. Funding has been provided by several other agencies, including the Canada 150 fund, the City of Regina, the City of Saskatoon and the Community Initiatives Fund.
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