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September 2020

PDA: Crip Culture and Digital Experiments

Artists, activists, and others in disability communities have been adapting online tools and platforms for work and play since well before the pandemic forced able-bodied people online. What creative solutions and experiments in the digital sphere have been happening within disability communities? What have we learned so far from the efforts to come together and adapt tools that were not designed with disability in mind? Join us as we discuss the particular joys and challenges of creative access in an online world, with reflections from Jessa Agilo, Aimi Hamraie, and Yo-Yo Lin. This conversation is moderated by Lindsay Fisher, Founder and Director of Creative Users Projects.

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July 2020
Provisions Live reading poster image, consisting of partner logos, images of objects and dates of reading series

A Live Co-Reading of Provisions – Radical Care
Critical Distance Suite 122 at 401 Richmond Street West, Toronto

We are thrilled to partner with The Site Magazine in co-hosting the third conversation in their event series, ‘A Live Co-Reading of Provisions,’ drawn from the contributions to The Site Magazine’s latest issue, Provisions: Observing and archiving Covid-19. This conversation will be hosted in collaboration with Critical Distance.

In this conversation we will be joined by Lori Brown, Carol Anne Hilton, and Elke Krasny to discuss the radical approaches to care, ethics, and relationality in times of crisis (and how to make these times a moment for meaningful change) through a co-reading and discussion of their responses:

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April 2020

In Conversation: Charlotte Zhang & Friends of Chinatown Toronto

To bring about a skill-sharing dialogue between artist and organizer, Charlotte Zhang will moderate a Q&A with Toronto-based community group, Friends of Chinatown TO (FOCT). Zhang will inquire into FOCT’s first-steps to organizing in a working class community, formulating demands, and strategizing around campaigns. With the tools and skills cultural workers have at our disposal, how do we direct our participation, privilege, and artistic strategies towards developing tactics and resisting neoliberal entanglements?

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March 2020

Eleana Antonaki In Conversation with ma ma
Small World Music 180 Shaw St, Toronto, ON, Toronto

Join us for a conversation with Brooklyn-based artist Eleana Antonaki and curators ma ma (Magdalyn Asimakis and Heather Rigg) held in conjunction with the exhibition A Big Heritage with A Glorious Past at Critical Distance. Antonaki, Asimakis, and Rigg will discuss Antonaki’s work within the exhibition and her practice more broadly, alongside questions of politically motivated migration, ideas of home and temporary housing, and archaeology.

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Accessible Curatorial Tour: A Big Heritage With a Glorious Past
Join us for an accessible curatorial tour of CDCC’s current exhibition: A Big Heritage with A Glorious Past. Curators ma ma (Magdalyn Asimakis and Heather Rigg) will be present to discuss the work of Eleana Antonaki and Marina Xenofontos in the exhibition. ASL interpretation will be provided, and all video works will be captioned with available audio description.Find out more
January 2020

Dying.poetry
The Learning Zone, OCAD University 122 A St Patrick St., Toronto
What is a “Good” Goodbye? is a collaborative poetry workshop facilitated by Mediator and Regenerative Design Facilitator Kathy Porter. During the program, participants take part in a presentation about Medical Assistance in Dying and the option to control one’s end of life experience. After the presentation, they are given a policy document to cut and paste, restructuring the regulated language to make room for their own synthesis of the material. In an effort to raise awareness around the choices we have over our lives—and in turn, deaths—Kathy Porter creates a space for much needed conversation around planning one’s own “good” goodbye. This event is FREE—please register on Eventbrite .Find out more

Dying.storytime
The Learning Zone, OCAD University 122 A St Patrick St., Toronto
Tuesday, January 21st, 4–5 pm The Learning Zone, OCAD University 122 A St. Patrick Street Taboo Health presents Mr. Dak: The Tale of a Special Turtle, a family-friendly story-time reading and Q&A with author Dayna Saba. Saba’s first children’s book broaches the topic of death through narrative storytelling. After experiencing the loss of her grandfather, Saba created the picture-book as both a playful biography and a tool by which to explain his passing to her young nephew. Written as a reminder that great love endures even after we are gone, Mr. Dak: The Tale of a Special Turtle is a compassionate introduction to concepts of loss and remembrance and provides an entry point for young children to express and process emotions surrounding the…Find out more
November 2019

The Culture of Crip Aesthetics
Critical Distance Suite 122 at 401 Richmond Street West, Toronto
Panel discussion with Sean Lee, Elizabeth Sweeney, Andy Slater, Wy Joung Kou and Aislinn Thomas Moderated by Emily CookFind out more

Dream-Worlding with Dolleen Tisawii’ashii Manning
Critical Distance Suite 122 at 401 Richmond Street West, Toronto
This workshop engages participants in a way of being attuned to the imperceptible, what one ‘sees’ peripherally, taking seriously those forms of knowing that have historically been pathologized in Western colonial logics as irrational and delusional. Manning will navigate the workshop through storytelling. HOW TO REGISTER Please note this is a PWYC (pay-what-you-can) pre-registered workshop limited to 10 participants. Spots are first come, first served and reservable by filling out this form: Critical Distance is committed to paying fair wages as well as reducing barriers to participation in our programs. Any amount (as in: no amount is too large or too small!) that you can contribute is much appreciated and we thank you for your continued support for our programs…Find out more
October 2019

How to Make Your Own Word Scavenger Hunt with Vanessa Dion Fletcher
Paperhouse Studio 180 Shaw Street, Toronto
In this workshop, participants will be introduced to key aspects of Vanessa Dion Fletcher’s practice and research that went into making “Finding Language: A Word Scavenger Hunt”, a performance that examines the intersections between Indigenous language, neurodiversity, and learning disability. Participants will work towards making their own word scavenger hunt that responds to individual subjectivities, politics, and languages. EVENT LOCATION and ACCESSIBILITY This event will take place at Paperhouse Studio which is located on the south side of the first floor at Artscape Youngplacea wheelchair accessible building with a ramp at the 180 Shaw Street doors, and an accessible washroom on every level. Gendered multi-stall washrooms are also on every level, and single stall family washrooms are available on levels…Find out more