I did a presentation for the @CanadaCouncil staff this afternoon.

The topic was their “Expanding the Arts II” initiative for supporting and expanding Deaf and Disability Arts.

I made some recommendations that I want to share with you.

The first is that a number of arts organizations have undertaken the initiative to conduct internal reviews of their past practices.

These reviews examine the historical and systemic injustices and discrimination that both artists and audiences have faced.

This includes those who are Deaf or who have disabilities and those who are LGBTQ and/or BIPOC.

These reviews acknowledge the wrongs of the past and look ahead to reconciliation and equity moving forward.

These reviews also ensure that the organization reflects the diversity of the community it serves.

Organizations that I am aware of who have either completed a review or have one in progress include @citadeltheatre, @awards_sterling and @canadianstage.

My proposal to the Canada Council is that a grant fund be established to support the hiring of consultants or reviewers to allow organizations to conduct these reviews.

These reviews are important for ensuring the recognition of those previously denied a “seat at the table”.

The second topic is that accessibility for Canadian theatre is a hodge-podge of differing levels of access, from full inclusion to non-existent.

Often accessibility is considered at the last minute or is shoehorned in because organizations have extra funds remaining.

True inclusion and accessibility begins from the moment a project is conceived.

In this circumstance, the funds for accessibility are included in the budget from the start. This is especially true for multi-year budgets.

My proposal to the Canada Council is that organizations who are up for renewal for their core funding must include an accessibility plan, both within their written proposals and their multi-year budgets.

This would provide accessibility funding for both audiences AND for engaging with artists who are Deaf or who have disabilities.

This would include ASL interpretation, captioning, audio description, tactile tours, visual maps and relaxed performances.

The impact of this would be tremendous.

Not only would this lead to led to growth and opportunities for Deaf and disabled artists but it will allow audiences from coast to coast to participate in something that has traditionally excluded them.

This is especially true for engaging with young audiences who are Deaf or who have disabilities.

We need these young people to experience theatre in a way that is accessible to them and which inspires them and leads them to dream of becoming artists themselves.