Stages: Unmasking Disability Culture: A Disability Arts Festival
Calgary's first ever Disability Arts Festival hit the stage on February 6, 2002! This Festival was a celebration of disability culture through shows in drama, dance, music, poetry, photography, and the fine arts.

Stages had several purposes: (1) provide people with disabilities access to creative methods of fostering self-advocacy and self-expression in the community; (2) enable people with disabilities to participate in and contribute to the culture of our community in meaningful ways; (3) afford people with disabilities new ways to analyze and reflect upon social issues and to represent their own experiences in safe, supportive, and creative environments; and (4) use arts-based tools to strengthen the skills necessary in living successful and meaningful lives in the community.

Stages included four performances and showings in total, showcasing the work of over fifty disabled artists. The Festival's mainstage attraction was a workshop performance of As I Am. Additional productions included a Forum Theater performance (sociopolitical drama), some Agit-Prop Theater, and a Sound Orchestra by Calgary Transition to Independence's program participants. CTTI's fine artists displayed their artwork in the festival gallery.

Produced by:
Calgary SCOPE Society
Calgary Transition to Independence

Presented by:
The Calgary Community Lottery Board

Performed:
February 2002
New Dance Theatre