VANESSA CRUZ | Website
Image Credit: Paula Kiley
[Image Description: A black and white photograph of Vanessa dancing with her rollator (walker). She is leaning onto her walker with one arm gently leaning on the handle and the other arm leaning on the backrest. Her serene face is gently looking out into the distance. Her legs are positioned in a mid-walking stance. One of her leg braces is visible. Her hair is pulled back into a ballet bun. She is wearing a tulle dress; dark top, light and fluffy skirt. She is in a well lit dance studio where mirrors are visible and her reflection is present]
The Disability Collective is a not-for-profit organization and community of disabled artists dedicated to celebrating and showcasing disability in the arts. TDC strives to de-stigmatize disability and challenge perceptions of what disability looks like through promoting disabled artists in a variety of forms.
[Image Description: The Disability Holiday Market graphic, featuring a white background with cream-coloured snowflakes. At the top are the words "The Disability Collective & Wagner-Green Centre for Access and Inclusion present" in capital letters. Below are the words "The Disability Holiday Market" in a cursive font. Below are the words "Sunday, December 18, 2022", "Artscape Wychwood Barns", "Crafts | Food & Drinks | Gifts", and "Free Admission", all in capital letters. All text is in blue. At the top left and right corners are bunches of flowers in red, cream, and grey colours. At the bottom left and right corners are green evergreen trees. At the bottom is a layer of cream-coloured snow. In the centre of the snow is a blue booth with snow and a sprig of holly on top. The roof of the booth has dark blue vertical lines on it. In the centre of the booth is a kinara, mittens, a snow globe, a cake on a cake stand, a plate of jelly donuts, a menorah, and a dreidel. Underneath is a string of lights. Below are The Disability Collective and the Miles Nadal JCC logos. Below the booth are the words "thedisabilitycollective.com". To the left and right of the booths are stacks of wrapped presents in blue, white, and yellow hues. Beside the presents on either side are groups of people smiling and enjoying the market]
Sunday, December 18
12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Artscape Wychwood Barns
601 Christie Street, Toronto
Introducing The Disability Holiday Market, presented by The Disability Collective and Wagner-Green Centre for Access and Inclusion! This brand new event will feature work created by disabled artists while celebrating the diversity of the holiday season in Toronto. Stop by to shop arts and crafts made by local disabled artists, participate in community-building events such as a card making station, and enjoy food & drinks from community vendors to keep you warm and cozy!
The Disability Holiday Market will allow disabled artists to showcase and sell their work in a fun and community-driven environment, while celebrating the holiday spirit. This family-friendly event will be a fun and festive opportunity for the community to come together, experience and engage in art, and enjoy the holiday season.
Join us for FREE on Sunday, December 18 at Artscape Wychwood Barns!
Detailed COVID-19 policies are available on the event page by clicking the button below.
[Video Description: The full No Body Left Behind video, which begins with an introduction from the TDC team before moving into individual videos featuring 10 incredible disabled artists who share their work and their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Between these individual videos, the TDC team also share their experiences as disabled artists during the pandemic. After meeting all 10 artists, the TDC team signs off with an outro before credits are shown]
For detailed video descriptions for the individual artists videos, please visit the respective artists' page here.
No Body Left Behind is an online campaign centred around the disabled community’s concerns regarding the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, including mask and vaccine mandates. We hope that this campaign will raise awareness around those who are being left behind as the world returns to “normal”.
We are currently raising money to go directly towards paying the artists and the ASL-English and Deaf interpreters who will be working on this project. We are relying solely on donations from our incredible community to support this project!
The No Body Left Behind videos are now available! Experience the work of 10 incredible disabled artists and learn about how the COVID-19 pandemic and the lifting of restrictions has affected them.
UPCOMING EVENTS