INTENTIONAL GATHERINGS

Deaf community

Opening title card is deep purple with Invisible Practice logo, and simple white text beneath a dividing line: “Intentional Gatherings, a community consultation series.”

Video clips focus on various shots of Connor, Jan, Kayla, and Crystal hosting the event in a community space with tables, chairs, and a projected screen, as well as comments from several participants. All sign in ASL, transcribed below.

“There is tobacco in this bag. It’s important to cherish this. Why did I bring this? It’s important you all develop a relationship with it too. It is an important part of Indigenous culture.”

“The Deaf art community is so small that we have to fit in the hearing world. We want to grow within the art community so that one day we can fill in all the positions that are needed with Deaf artists.”

“I know there’s a lot of information… let’s get started with sharing our thoughts!”

“I am able to learn American Sign Language (ASL). But I came from another country so going to theatre is not accessible to me because I still can’t understand.”

“DeafBlind people can’t really access the art community.”

Click the image below to read our full report.

ASL translation available here.

Several people in a few groups, conversing. A table of snacks is in the background, and a poster paper is on the wall with several sticky notes.

An Indigenous woman stands among several seated people, looking off to the side and smiling.

Black and white. A young white woman gazes pensively at a large poster paper on the wall, which has several handwritten sticky notes.

A series of colourful handwritten questions on sheets of large poster paper, stacked and layered so that each question is just visible.

Black and white. Two people stand in front of a large poster paper on the wall with several handwritten sticky notes. One person points at a note.

Black and white. A young white man is mid-sign with an Indigenous woman. It is a solemn moment.

A white person’s hands write on a blue sticky note just under one of the questions on a large poster paper.

Black and white. A DeafBlind person receives information in ProTactile from a Deaf Interpreter, who is interpreting from a large poster paper with sticky notes on the wall.

A room full of people in various groups, with several tables and chairs. A few large poster papers are stuck on the walls and tables.

Black and white. Close-up of two people sitting at a table, looking at something off-frame. Others are seated in the background, also watching attentively.

We gratefully recognize Connect Society’s support and expertise in providing accessibility support for DeafBlind participants.

The Intentional Gatherings community consultation series was made possible with generous funding from Canada Council for the Arts’ Sector Innovation and Development program.