Enhancing Accessibility and Awareness with QUIET PARADE - Blackwood Gallery

The Grant supported accessibility services, consultation fees, workshop facilitators, the printing of an accessibility guide, event supplies, and artist fees for the parade.

QUIET PARADE brought together artists, students, event partners, and residents, creating an impactful celebration of disability culture. With hundreds of attendees and dozens more participating in workshops, the event garnered significant attention, as reflected by UTM’s social media metrics, which reported over 19,000 impressions and 900 engagements.

Over 25 volunteers also helped support the program, ensuring the event ran smoothly. The Blackwood Gallery’s mission is to foster inclusivity and engagement with art that challenges social norms and supports diverse communities. The QUIET PARADE event not only advanced this mission but also highlighted the importance of making public spaces more accessible and inclusive.

Looking ahead, the Blackwood Gallery plans to continue incorporating the lessons learned from QUIET PARADE, especially in terms of accessibility practices, into future projects. While the event itself was a one-time occurrence, its impact on disability visibility and inclusion will resonate for years to come.