Milestones

2003: Abilities Arts Festival launched under the auspices of Abilities Foundation with a curated international visual art exhibit.

2004: AAF produced the first disability film festival in eastern Canada: “Projections.”

2005: AAF became a four-day multidisciplinary arts festival.

2006: Incorporated as a separate organization. Added a day-long festival of performances and artistic activities by artists with disabilities specifically for children and youth with disabilities.

2007: AAF grew to a ten-day, multidisciplinary international artistic and cultural event.

2008: Demand led to the expansion of the children’s programme; it became a three-day event.

2009: AAF advised the 2010 Olympic Committee on programming of artists in opening and closing ceremonies.

2010: Hosted Australian theatre company Igneous in collaboration with Theatre Direct to produce Mirage at Scotiabank Nuit Blanche. AAF was granted charitable status.

2011: AAF drew over 2000 people to our Nuit Blanche event and had two sold-out audiences at the Betty Oliphant Theatre for The Neat Strange Music of Ahmed Hassan, earning our highest box office revenues earned to date.