This free event will be held at the Canadian Museum of Human Rights and presented on Zoom.

In-person tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/crip-strength-art-body-mind-tickets-432710658227

Zoom tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/crip-strength-art-body-mind-tickets-432736014067

Crip Strength: Art + Body + Mind, is a one-day event held at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR). Crip Strength will also be presented virtually to reach rural artists who may not be able to travel to attend in-person, as well as for those in the Deaf and disability art community who are home-bound. There will be a juried exhibition of visual art and programmed dance, theater, musical, and literary performances, as well as speakers. 

Crip Strength will explore the concept of what is “normal” when it comes to disability. Through art, many artists who are Deaf and/or disabled are questioning assumptions of normality in how the mind and body perform. Deaf and/or disabled artists have much to share and teach the larger art community about access, creative problem solving and adaptation. These concepts have long been necessary for Deaf and/or disabled artists to participate in the larger arts community and have become even more relevant to the larger society as we live through a pandemic that requires us to self-isolate and find creative solutions to reach one another through alternative means. 

Crip Strength will be a very important and timely event for the Deaf and/or disabled artists. It has been almost ten years since the last disability and arts festival was held in Manitoba. Crip Strength will emphasize the ways that Deaf and disability culture is changing how we see ourselves and how we have impacted the world around us. This event will allow the Deaf and disability community to share with their peers and colleagues the excellent work they have been creating over the past decade. Those who attend Crip Strength will leave with a better understanding of disability art and culture and its importance.

This event will include performers of excellence: comedian Adam Schwartz, poet Kathy Arnold, dancers Natalie Sluis and Anne Nordorf, and burlesque dancer Emily Farraige.

To ensure accessibility and ease of access at Crip Strength, an Access Guide has been created which includes information of the venue (Canadian Museum of Human Rights), how to travel to the event, available accessibility accommodation, who to contact for assistance, how to access the event virtually, details about the festival performers and what to expect, glossary of terms, and other pertinent information for those attending the event.

ASL Version of Guide:

Table of Contents

Introduction and Accessibility Statement

Quick Guide

What is an Arts Festival? What is Crip Strength?

What is a Land Acknowledgment?

Why was the CMHR Selected to host Crip Strength?

How Do I Get There?

What Are Some Accessibility Features?

How to Use Zoom

How to Can I Make Crip Strength Safe and Inclusive? Who Can I Contact for Assistance?

What are Some Words the Will be Used, A-C

What are Some Words the Will be Used, D-I

What are Some Words the Will be Used, L-N

What are Some Words the Will be Used, P-R

What are Some Words the Will be Used, T-W

Schedule

Speakers, Emcee Lara Rae

Speakers, Diane Driedger

Speakers, The Hon. Patrica Bovey, FRSA, FCMA

Performers, Adam Schwartz

Performers, Emily Farriage

Performers, Kathy Arnold

Performers, Natalie Sluis and Anne Neudorf

Visual Artists, Candace Lipischak

Visual Artists, Carla Sierra Suarez

Visual Artists, Marie LeBlanc

Visual Artists, Meagan Hoskins

Visual Artists, Ryan Smoluk

Visual Artists, Sacha Kopelow

Visual Artists, Susan Aydan Abbott

Visual Artists, Yvette Cenerini

Acknowledgments