Tour breaks down barriers: Sharing disability culture in rural Saskatchewan

Audiences tapped their toes, laughed out loud and even shed tears during the Listen to Dis’ Community Arts Organization’s (LTD) recent rural Saskatchewan tour. With musicians and actors with disabilities at its heart, the performance proved that art is for everyone, while also challenging perspectives on disability.

Aileen Martin, community consultant, Prairie Central District for Sport, Culture and Recreation, one of the partners in the tour, says that, “a lot of people felt seen” at the tour. Local residents of care homes were invited, including some who have similar disabilities to the performers. “They realized that they could do this, too,” she says. “When you see Listen to Dis’ on stage, it hits home that art is for everyone.”

Traci Foster, artistic director, LTD, adds, “It gave them hope that they can realize their dream relative to their art form — a dream that they haven’t been able to find their way into due to inaccessible programming or direction.”

The response of one audience member in Humboldt stands out for Martin. A young boy was so moved by LTD performer Nathan Coppens’ monologue about people living with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) that he returned for the community session later that day.

“He came back to say, ‘thank you’ because he didn’t realize before that what was going on in his head may be ADHD,” Martin says. “This was the first time he had heard about it. It was so brave for him to share that with us.”

While physical access to infrastructure such as sidewalks, elevators, ramps and washrooms can be a huge barrier to participating in arts and cultural activities, Foster names “attitudinal access” as equally challenging.

“The [lack] of an open mind is the greatest barrier to creating an equitable sector,” she says. “Personal shifts need to occur for a policy shift to occur.”

The tour has created meaningful connections between aspiring rural artists with disabilities and LTD performers, with relationships forming on social media to offer encouragement, Foster says. One group from Wishart, who saw LTD perform on its 2023 rural tour, even rented a bus and travelled two hours to Regina for the organization’s Not Just Christmas Concert.

“We have not experienced that type of interest, commitment, community connection and relationship-building in the ten years that we’ve been a nonprofit. And I haven’t experienced that in the 18 years I’ve been working. So, that’s incredible,” Foster says.

The tour performances in Humboldt, Melfort, Stanley Mission and North Battleford in 2024 were part of The Axis of Access project, a collaboration between LTD and the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance (SAA). The tour was undertaken through partnerships with four of the seven Districts for sport, culture and recreation in the province: Prairie Central, Lakeland, Northern, and Rivers West. In addition to performances, community discussions were held at each location. The resulting input is helping LTD and SAA craft a living document, which will guide arts and cultural organizations on how to create more inclusive, accessible opportunities for people with disabilities.

This project received support from SaskCulture’s Multicultural Initiatives Fund – Project, funded by Sask Lotteries Trust Fund for Sport, Culture and Recreation. The Districts for Sport Culture and Recreation are also funded by Sask Lotteries Trust Fund.