INTENTIONAL GATHERINGS

interpreter community

We bring together anyone and everyone who is a certified or in-progress interpreter of signed and spoken languages. This role has long been vital for inclusive environments where Deaf and hearing artists can bring their best.

Even with the constraints of numbers - project funding, graduation classes, and so on - interpreters will continue to be part of the future of Deaf-centric creativity.

And we ask: How can The Invisible Practice help?

WHEN

February 8, 2025

1:00 - 4:00pm

Light refreshments will be provided.

WHERE

The Playhouse

10033 80 Ave NW

Edmonton, AB

TOPICS

These are the topics we will discuss during this Intentional Gathering. You are welcome to read ahead of time so that you can come prepared. You will be able to provide all of your comments in ASL or English.

  • What does increased demand for access in the arts mean for the interpreting community?

  • Where do Deaf Interpreters fit in? Is "Deaf Theatre Interpreter" enough of a distinction between formally trained/certified and those who may have acquired qualification through informal means?

  • What kind of community agreement do we need for protocols between interpreters, Deaf artists, and hearing artists? For example, if a hearing-led production wants to hire only hearing ASL interpreters, are those interpreters obligated to advocate for DTI inclusion and turn down the work otherwise?

  • What can be done to address impending interpreter shortages locally and across the country?

  • Consider the scenario where a major production receives funding from all sources except Canada Council. This means there is no separate access budget. What possibilities are there for proceeding with access?

  • Is there a systematic way for TIP to book interpreters while avoiding email overload, as our organizational activities continue to accumulate?

  • What are the greatest strengths and vulnerabilities for interpreters in a creative space?

  • What else do you want to discuss?

ACCESS

  • ASL interpretation provided upon request.

  • Live-streamed captions by a human captionist available by request - please let us know if you need captions.

  • Deaf Interpreters for DeafBlind participants available by request - please let us know if you require this.

CONTACT

general@invisiblepractice.ca

As part of our commitment to transparency, this event will be recorded on video and in photos. You can opt-out and still participate. If you opt-out, your name and identity will be anonymized to the best of our ability, but we cannot guarantee this.

Video recap coming soon!

A circle of people sitting in a rehearsal room. They are all listening to one person in the circle. Black curtains line the room, and a small kitchenette is in the back.
Black and white. Three people sit close together, smiling. They all wear casual and comfy clothes.
A tall person stands just in front of a TV display, which says “land acknowledgement.” He is mid-sign and looking up thoughtfully while several others are seated and listening.
Black and white. Four people sit close together, one cross-legged on their chair. They are all smiling at someone out of frame. The person on the far left holds up the “I Love You” sign in ASL.
A narrow-angle shot behind someone’s head while they are signing. Three people are seated in a row beyond, their heads turned toward the person and camera in an almost-perfect row.
Black and white. A person is mid-sign with several headshots displayed on the TV just behind them. Two others in the background watch.
Black and white. A staggered stack of large poster paper, each with a question written out along the top edge.
A person is mid-sign while seated, looking up thoughtfully with a slight smile. Two others watch.
Black and white. Close-up of someone’s hands on their crossed legs, writing on a pad of sticky notes. Their pants have a pattern of photo-real varieties of cacti and succulents.

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. Thank you, Canada Council!

Once this project has concluded, we will share the final budget breakdown as part of our commitment to radical financial transparency.

Connect Society logo - two green and blue puzzle pieces fitting together. Tagline: "Strengthening connections among Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing, and Hearing Individuals."
Canada Council for the Arts logo.