Reflecting on 50 Years of Art, Advocacy and Ambition
You only turn 50 once. For the National accessArts Centre (NaAC), this milestone is more than a celebration—it’s a moment to reflect on our past, revel in our present, and reimagine a bold new future for disability arts.
As Canada’s oldest and largest disability arts organization, our journey has been anything but ordinary. What began as a small craft-focused day program has evolved into an internationally-recognized arts centre, proving that artists with disabilities belong on the world’s biggest stages. But our work is about more than making art—it’s about breaking barriers, defying expectations, and fighting for a future where artists with disabilities take their rightful place at the forefront of change.
A Legacy of Change
“There was a time when the arts world didn’t see our artists as professionals,” says Dr. Stephanie Chipeur, Chair of the NaAC Board of Directors and Azrieli Accelerator Professorship in Law & Disability Policy, University of Calgary. “It was more about craft, something for people to do with their hands and time. But today, we are shifting that perception completely.”
The organization that would become the NaAC, Indefinite Arts, was founded in 1975 with a simple mission: to connect people with disabilities to the arts. Back then, artists followed structured activities, often working from pre-designed templates, to produce arts and crafts. The focus was on pastime rather than practice, and those who attended the program were seen as hobbyists rather than cultural contributors.
A Bold Present
Today, the NaAC is no longer playing catch-up—it’s leading the charge. Under the leadership of JS Ryu, the organization has shed outdated models and embraced a professional, artist-first approach. Artists are not students or program participants; they are recognized as cultural leaders in their own right.
“We are not just a leader in the disability arts space,” says JS, NaAC President and CEO. “We are showing other organizations that our approach—treating artists with disabilities as professionals, not just participants—can and should be the model.”
This transformation extends to every level of the organization, including its board. Stephanie highlights the shift: “In the past, the board was made up of people who weren’t openly identifying as part of the disabled community. Now, we have a majority-disabled board, and we’re eliminating hierarchies. We’re making decisions in ways that actually reflect accessibility and inclusion.”
The Future is Here
This shift in leadership has laid the groundwork for something truly revolutionary: the creation of a disability arts campus in Calgary. The first purpose-built space of its kind, the campus will be designed not only to support artists with disabilities, but to welcome all artists—flipping the long-standing assumption that artists with disabilities are the only ones with something to learn.
“This campus is a game-changer,” says Stephanie. “It’s about making Calgary a destination where disability arts thrive, where artists with disabilities invite others into their space—not always the other way around. That shift in power is what truly makes this project revolutionary.”
The Next 50 Years Start Now
Reaching 50 is an achievement. Surviving the next 50 requires a movement. Calgary is home to Canada’s longest-running disability arts organization, and that’s something to be proud of. But this is just the beginning, says JS.
“In the past eight years alone, we’ve faced incredible challenges,” says JS. “A roof collapse, a pandemic, the sudden loss of a leader, financial strains—yet here we are. That resiliency is our foundation for the future.”
Now is the time to rally behind this bold vision. The NaAC has fought for five decades to break barriers, build platforms, and amplify voices that deserve to be heard. What happens next depends on all of us.
Stand with us. Support the next 50 years of disability arts.
