A trilogy of short films celebrating Yukon artists living with disabilities will premier in Whitehorse on April 25.
The films, which were produced in three parts and titled Draw Us In, is a multimedia performance that includes music, spoken word and dance.
“Yukoners with disabilities are often not fully included in the community,” says Rebecca Dacko-Brink, executive director of Teegatha’Oh Zheh, a non-profit providing support, advocacy and opportunities to adults living with intellectual disabilities.
Dacko-Brink said those living with disabilities “lack full access to employment and education and more fundamentally for body and soul, they have limited opportunity to create, perform and share their life-experience with a wider world.”
More than 30 persons with disability, along with family and friends, have contributed to the production taking place with support from Tintina Air.
“Hundreds of hours have been spent creating, rehearsing, and exploring the artists’ lives and parts of their experience they want to share with a larger public,” the statement read.
The result, according to the statement, has been a “unique, insightful, heartwarming – and sometimes funny – declaration that everyone has a right to be heard and to participate in community.”
Anna Thompson, one of the performing artists, said she expresses herself and identity through dance and music.
Aimee Lien, another artist said, “I perform to let everyone know who I am; a confident woman who knows what she wants in life.”
One of the films will feature Lien.
“I love being on camera. I love music and performing,” she said.
Also on display at the hangar, will be My Suitcase, a visual display of personal stories.
“Artists with Teegatha created the works out of used suitcases, packing them with memories, dreams and desires to let others get a glimpse of their lives,” the statement added.
Julie Robinson, director and producer of the film project, said the premiere “will give the public a glimpse of another person’s life that is a very different experience from their own.”
She added: “We hope through the common connection made by artwork, we can enrich the lives not just of our artists and performers, but the community as a whole.”
Robinson said the series of films is an exploration at the intersection of art and disability.
“Viewers will have the opportunity of seeing people with different needs tell us their story of diversity,” she said. “It’s gonna be a really big show with lots of components.”
The premier will be held at the Tintina Air Hangar on Condor Road at the Whitehorse airport. Tintina Air also provided their hangar for the production of the films.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with performance to begin at 6 p.m. The venue is wheelchair accessible and there is no charge for viewers.
Contact Patrick Egwu at patrick.egwu@yukon-news.com