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Canada’s largest disability arts organization receives $190,000 from the National Creation Fund

CALGARY – The National accessArts Centre (NaAC), Canada’s largest disability arts organization, is announcing an investment of $190,000 from the National Creation Fund, administered by the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. This is the single largest investment in the NaAC’s performing arts programs, and will go towards the further development of its current project, titled ICONIC+. 

ICONIC+ is a groundbreaking project, designed from the ground up by artists living with disabilities who actively participate in the NaAC’s Professional Dance Ensemble. Rooted in improvisation, the investment from the Fund will allow the NaAC to further connect the project with accessible technology and explore new concepts around disability leadership in the performing arts.

“For this project, roles such as artistic director and choreographer have been removed, placing more artistic decisions in the hands of the ensemble. The ensemble will be supported by international leaders in the disability arts including VibraFusion Lab, Drag Syndrome, Laurel Lawson, and Sky Cubabcub, who are all doing ground-breaking work revisioning what disability-led performing arts looks like.” – Karly Mortimer, VP, Artist & Program Development, NaAC

“ICONIC+ is a game-changing Canadian performance that shows the magic that’s possible when bold artistic dreams, wildly talented disabled artists, and dedicated partners come together. We at the National Creation Fund are so proud to support this culture-expanding work!” – Sarah Conn, Acting Artistic Producer, National Art Centre’s National Creation Fund

ICONIC+, also supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, will be featured at Tangente Danse in Montreal as well as the Korea International Accessible Dance Festival in 2024.

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