Abilities Arts Festival A Celebration of Disability Arts and Culture  
Fluttering Spiral & Waving Jade

News Archive


The Abilities Arts Festival News Archive is the repository for past news on updates to our website and Festival events. We also list events and performances of artists who have appeared at Abilities Arts Festival and, for those interested in opportunities to showcase their work, whether they are a professional or an emerging artist(s), we provide a brief description of upcoming events with links to additional information.


"CARTS OF DARKNESS" Premiers in Toronto at Hot Docs Film Festival   April 09, 2008
In the picture-postcard community of North Vancouver, local bottle collectors have turned the act of binning into a thriving subculture of shopping cart racing. Murray Siple, a former snowboarder and sports film director injured in a serious car accident 10 years ago, returns to capture their story in "Carts of Darkness." <Read More>

Astral Media Mentorship Award – CALL FOR APPLICATIONS   March 28, 2008
Women in Film and Television – Toronto in partnership with Astral Media is pleased to announce the Call for Application for the first annual Astral Media Mentorship Award program. This national competitive program will give one talented Canadian female or male producer of a visible minority, Aboriginal or disabled group, the invaluable opportunity to prepare for the 2008 Banff World Television Festival through an intensive pre-festival mentorship and festival bursary with an Astral Media Executive. Applications due by April 21, 2008.

2007 ABILITIES ARTS FESTIVAL PHOTOS NOW HERE!   January 1, 2008
On October 25, 2007, Abilities Arts Festival kicked off 10 days of exciting events, including an outstanding evening of Art and Jazz, a Gala Evening of Performances, Film Festival, Children's Programs, panels & workshops and photographic art exhibits. <View Our Pics>


Award winning jazz vocalist Joe Coughlin returns to Toronto for One Night Only, on April 4, at the Academy of Spherical Arts, 8:00pm, for the Release Party of his latest CD "Things turn out that way". Joe will be performing with the Mark Eisenman Quintet, featuring Pat Labarbera on saxophone, John Macleod on trumpet, John Sumner on drums and Steve Wallace on bass. For more information telephone 416-532-2782, or for map directions visit www.sphericalarts.com

EMOTION PICTURES – Documentary and Disability: 2nd International Festival, Athens 2008: Call for Entries   January 7, 2008
The "EMOTION PICTURES Documentary and Disability: 2nd International Festival – Athens 2008". The Festival features two sections, In Competition and Out of Competition. "In Competition" competes for cash awards of €10,000 (Euro dollars), which will be shared equally by producer and director. Entry Form deadline is on March 30 2008. < More>

THE OTHER FILM FESTIVAL 2008 – OPEN CALL FOR ENTRIES   December 20, 2007
The Other Film Festival is Australia's only international disability film festival and is renowned for excellence in filmmaking, highly accessible cinema and the passionate exchange of ideas. We are particularly pleased to announce that the festival in 2008 will be fully competitive with cash prizes including $5,000 AUD for Best Film. < More>

Church of 80% Sincerity
THE CHURCH OF 80% SINCEREITY   December 18, 2007
David Roche writes a powerful little book that's part memoir, part inspirational handbook. "You can be 80 percent sincere 100 percent of the time, or 100 percent sincere 80 percent of the time. It's in that 20 percent area where you get some slack and you can be yourself." read more ...


Featured Artist:

Matt Savage
(Glenn Gould Theatre, October 26, 2007)

At 15 years of age, jazz musician Matt Savage has already won numerous awards. He is also the youngest pianist and only child in Bösendorfer's 178-year history to be signed as an artist. Joining Matt was joined by John Funkhouser on bass and Steve Silverstein on drums in an outstanding performance of jazz originals and mainstay hits.