“Networks not Nations: a comparison of two Canadian festival initiatives, Vancouver’s kickstArt! Celebration of Disability Arts and Culture and Toronto’s Madness and Arts 2003 World Festival.”

An emerging disability arts culture worldwide is helping artists to build bridges beyond national borders. Two recent Canadian festivals demonstrate Canada’s leadership in this growing movement. This paper aims to outline the shared principles connecting both festivals to these larger movements. In August 2001, the newly formed Society for Disability Arts and Culture hosted the kickstArt! Celebration of Disability Arts and Culture in Vancouver’s Roundhouse Community Centre.  In March 2003, Toronto will host the inaugural Madness and Arts 2003 World Festival (MAWF) at its Harbourfront Centre.  Canadians interested in developing global networks for artists with disability arts interests or experiences initiated both festivals.  Organizers shared common goals to showcase theatre, dance, music and visual art and both held symposia to investigate ideas and strategies to promote artists with disabilities.  Although kickstArt! featured artists with a broad range of disability experience and MAWF emphasized mental illness, both festivals emerged from an impulse to connect artists who face similar struggles worldwide. While many artists involved in both festivals cite feelings of marginalization within their national artistic framework, many felt the festivals allowed them to move from the margins to the centre on a global stage. This paper will focus on the impulse to make international connections behind each festival and the internationalization of these artistic identities. Research for this paper is based on interviews, archival material, critical press and participant observation of both festivals. I have also served as the research director for the MAWF.