National accessArts Centre is centring disabled artists and reshaping the way art gets made in Calgary
In Calgary, accessibility within the arts scene is being built into the process, not just patching the gaps.
Started in 1975 as the In-Definite Arts Society, the National accessArts Centre has been working to advance the needs of artists with disabilities. The centre teamed up with other Calgary disability organizations in 2020 to create the institution we see today.
“We’ve tripled in size, with an incredible team of more than 15 program staff who are all professional, practicing artists and faculty to work every day to create an arts training and creation environment that is unlike any other disability arts organization around the world,” said Jung-Suk Ryu, CEO and founder of NaAC.
This growth isn’t just about getting bigger; it’s about changing who leads this work. With disabled artists part of the process, access comes first, and the art is shaped by their experiences. NaAC works in many ways to create a safe space for the arts.
“[It’s about] taking the time to be with and get to know the community you’re now a part of,” said performing arts manager, Re Parsons. “Understanding the individual needs of the people you’re working with and — perhaps most importantly — asking the artists themselves so they are as involved as possible.”
Without accessibility within the arts community, certain communities lose the opportunity to participate in what should be a universal language.
“I wish organizations had more deaf led leaders ensuring that deaf artists are in the centre of making decisions,” said Landon Krentz, a Calgary-based deaf theatre artist. “It’s a different kind of impact when you have their projects because when there’s deaf-led projects, you have a bigger deaf audience.”
Krentz specializes in physical theatre and visual vernacular, a performance style combining sign language, miming, and body language. He works to make shows that have equal theatre experiences for both deaf and hearing audiences.
He got his start in theatre in high school, but due to Calgary’s lack of accessible programs, he didn’t think he could be a performer. Krentz spent some time as an arts administrator, but he wasn’t given access to dialogue-based performances. He shifted his career and travelled to places such as France and Sweden, where sign language is not just recognized, but also normalized.
“Unfortunately, in Canada, there is no formal training for [disabled] artists. Especially theatres. Primarily because the majority of institutions prioritize their spoken language,” said Krentz.
National accessArts works to address this issue by providing opportunities to those who don’t feel the arts have spaces for them.
“Accessibility in the performing arts isn’t just about the programs themselves existing. Rather, it’s about how programs are designed and facilitated on the basis of dignity, equity, and integrity,” said Parsons. “It means creating space for these artists in performance spaces so disability-led work can be seen; and providing equitable, professional, paid opportunities for performing artists with disabilities.”
They offer programs in areas such as visual arts, dance, music, Indigenous art, theatre and film.
“The vast majority of our artists come to the NaAC with very little arts training or creation experience, but they’re drawn to the arts as a way to express themselves. So, we tailor experiences for each artist to help advance their journey as artists,” said Ryu.
Currently, the centre has multiple spaces for artists to practice their art, regardless of medium. These spaces include the Multidisciplinary Disability Community Arts Hub and the Won and Hyon Chu Lee Plaza.
NaAC is currently working on a new learning campus, the first being the Trico Communities Accessible Arts Centre, a 10,000-square-foot facility that will house its visual arts studios and administrative offices. The second is the Joseph Chung Centre for Creativity, which will feature the Osten-Victor Inspiration Studio, a performing arts rehearsal studio with a café, a gallery, a sound and tech lab, and community gathering spaces.
“Having access to a proper rehearsal space made to support bodies in movement, as well as a comfortable, accessible performance space, means that artists with disabilities don’t have to worry about their basic access needs being met and can focus their energy on the creative process or performance,” said Parsons.
“We are at the forefront of demonstrating what accessibility and inclusion look like from an arts and culture perspective,” said Ryu.
NaAC provides artists with the resources they need to pursue their dreams and continues to work toward becoming Canada’s leading disability arts organization. Art is for everyone, and they’re making it happen.
Learn more about NaAC at accessarts.ca.
