Ecologies of Care by Ginger Carlson
Writer, curator, and PhD student in the History of Art, Design and Visual Culture Ginger Carlson shared her inquiries into the landscape of disability arts entities, posing critical questions regarding how the Smartwear initiative can bolster, rather than replicate, established ecosystems of care. Her investigation spanned regional, national, and global scales to distill shared methodologies and recurrent themes within the field.
After introducing various disability-led organizations, Ginger categorized her findings into five core pillars: rooted histories, reflecting how institutions are molded by community ties; responsive and adaptive practices, which evolve with shifting social landscapes and access requirements; intentional world-building, the craft of nurturing spaces through a disability justice lens; interdependent networks, emphasizing the vitality of collaborative resource exchange; and advocacy and systems change, dedicated to dismantling structural barriers and reimagining accessibility.
from 7 min 30
Accepting the Seat at the Table: Reflections on disability justice and the arts from two advocacy groups by Neci Alarcon and Jenn Kowalchuk
Director of Arts and Communications Nexi Alarcon and Communications and Engagement lead Jenn Kowalchuk, both representing the John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights (JHC), offered reflections on the intersections of disability justice, advocacy, and artistic practice. Alarcon positioned the JHC as a vital intermediary connecting diverse communities with systemic decision-makers, specifically highlighting the Action on Ableism initiative. This national project emerged as a direct response to the structural barriers that frequently exclude disabled creators from essential funding, equitable compensation, and professional advancement. Both this initiative and the Disability Justice Change Lab emphasize the cultivation of interdependent communities, the fostering of leadership, and the mobilization of lived experience to advance justice through creative inquiry and transformative education.
Jenn Kowalchuk further detailed Tales From a Crip, a Change Lab endeavor that gathered ten women and non-binary collaborators to develop a hybrid theatrical work exploring the nuances of disability and ableist structures. Utilizing methodologies such as sociodrama, improvisational movement, and monologue composition, participants spent six months crafting narratives rooted in personal experience. The production served as a site of access-centered world-building, incorporating baseline requirements such as hybrid engagement models, real-time captioning, integrated visual descriptions, and intentional physical venue design.
from 30 minutes
Presentation by Sean Lee, director of programming Tangled Arts + Disability
Director of programming at Tangled Arts, Sean Lee discussed the vital role of Tangled Art + Disability, Canada’s leading gallery dedicated to the exhibition and advancement of Deaf, Mad, and disability-led artistic practices. He articulated how the organization transcends the traditional gallery model, serving as a vibrant community nexus where creators are nurtured through strategic residencies, professional mentorship, and a commitment to embedding accessibility as a core curatorial methodology.
The presentation highlighted significant institutional milestones, including the Bodies in Translation initiative—a multi-year research endeavor designed to cultivate a robust infrastructure for disability arts scholarship—and the Cripping Masculinity project, which utilized fashion and identity to explore the nuances of crip aesthetics.
Reflecting on the necessity of interdependent networks, Lee addressed the complexities of fostering sustainable cultural ecosystems within academic and institutional frameworks. He cited the Change Labs project as a transformative collaborative model that seeks to move beyond precarious funding cycles, aiming instead to secure the longevity and resilience of disability-led creative infrastructures.
from 1h30mins
Ecologies of Care eSymposium transcript