MixAbilities for Artists in the Kingston Community
Summer 2021 I have been the facilitator of H’art Centre's MixAbilities Inclusive Arts Training Program since it first launched in 2018. In the same year MixAbilities received the City of Kingston’s Celebrating Accessibility Award.
MixAbilities is an Inclusive Arts training program providing artists/facilitators in the Kingston community with strategies and resources to best meet the needs of artists with a wide range of abilities.
My role is to guide artists through the training, to observe the facilitation of workshops and provide feedback.
In the summer of 2021, 2 groups of artists participated in full day sessions and were provided with information, resources and practical experience to help meet the needs of those with different abilities.
The day long training focused on building awareness around accessibility and inclusivity in the arts. New to the training were presentations by 4 guest artists who work in the inclusive arts. They shared how they engage the people they work with, their successes and challenges, and how they create safe and welcoming spaces to ensure that everyone has access.
The culminating tasks for the artists were to design and facilitate art workshops at H’art Centre. All the artists agreed that the training helped them deliver workshops that were engaging, accessible and inclusive.
MixAbilities is a program that builds and improves from one session to the next. I look forward to continuing the important work of making sure the arts are accessible to all.
