CAN’s (LET’S) Executive Director, Heather McCain is a board member for the newly created Open Access Foundation for Arts and Culture (OAFAC). In June, OAFAC had their Annual General Meeting.
Guided by the principles of Disability Justice, OAFAC is a BC-based, pandemic-era cultural organization that aims to set a new cultural standard for accessibility by nurturing creative and justice-oriented accessibility practices. OAFAC addresses the severe underrepresentation of those with lived experience of disability in leadership roles within the visual and performing arts.
OAFAC’s activities aim to advance representation of disability culture and artistry through disability-led trainings, curation, public engagements, exhibitions, educational campaigns and site-specific project development, and cultural competency consultation. By providing educational, training, and mentorship opportunities OAFAC builds capacity for those in the broader Disability Arts movement to participate in the field on their terms and gain influence within a wider cultural context.
In its second year as an organization, OAFAC is in the beginning stages of developing systems and processes to support the sustainability and resilience of our organization, to be in it for the long haul.