DiDa - Disability Day Art & Action 2024
The festival’s captivating Vapaa Sana promises spoken word poetry straight from the heart. Last year’s Poetry Slam finalist artist aims to create a space through performance poetry where everyone feels seen. The poems also depict the sense of alienation that a person with a disability may sometimes experience. The performance is accompanied by Heli Raami on piano and guitar.
Additionally, the stage will feature wheelchair dance and movement improvisation by the Turku-based TaiKaTanssi group. During the performance, the dancers’ movement languages interact, forming various layers, ultimately finding a space of shared soft moments.
On the big screen, DiDa presents the Generation Z dance film trilogy (2023). This is a joint effort by Riina Hannuksela, Elisa Lejeune, and dancer-filmmaker Kati Kallio, who lead the Dance Group Ihanat. The focus is on involving three young dancers in the creative process of the films, from scripting to performance. The trilogy diversifies our understanding of a generation of dancers by highlighting those who are rarely seen in the spotlight. In the films, they become visible as they wish to be seen. DiDa also features Kimmo Salminen‘s work Mielimaisemiani, which combines Finnish nature photography and music into a compelling multimedia piece.
In the music section, Aki Lappalainen, Oiva Ristimäki, and Katriina Rainio, known as the trio Elysium, will perform. They interpret works by significant Finnish poets who suffered from tuberculosis and schizophrenia, set to the tunes of bossa nova.
The festival’s traditional panel discussion is based on the recently published Making space for Artistry project publication Onko maailma valmis? – Kirjoituksia taiteesta ja vammaisuudesta. The program culminates in the awarding of the prestigious Vimma Disability Cultural Award.
The event will be hosted by writer Hannele Cantell, who received The Lifelong Learning Foundation’s Sivistys Award 2024.
Welcome! Free entry!
Programme
15.00 Opening of the festival
Hannele Cantell, author, winner of the 2024 Civilization Prize by The Lifelong Learning Foundation sr., will be the moderator of the event.
15.10 Kimmo Salminen
An evocative multimedia piece combining Finnish nature photography and music
15.25 TaiKaTanssi
Soft moments, movement improvisation by TaiKaTanssi.
15.40 Vapaa sana
Spoken word poetry straight to the heart. Accompanied by Heli Raami.
16.10 Gen Z dance film trilogy (2023)
Blue (Vappu Virkkula), BlackA (Sofia Johansson) and Pink (Minttu Heinonen). Produced by Kati Kallio and Dance Group Ihanat.
16.35 Break
16.50 Panel discussion
The panel discussion will be based on the recent publication Is the world ready? – Writings on art and disability of the Making Space for Artistry project. The panellists are Hanna Väätäinen, Pekka Heikkinen and Sari Salovaara. Maija Karhunen will moderate.
17.50 Trio Elysium
Aki Lappalainen, Oiva Ristimäki and Katriina Rainio – Trio Elysium with bossa nova tunes.
18.10 Vimma Disability Culture Prize
19.00 Festival ends
Programme changes are possible.
Read more: The DiDa 2024 artists
Accessibility
The main hall is located in the Factory, where the main door (A3) is accessible. The main hall (2nd floor) is accessible by an accessible lift, but the lift door is heavy. The accessible toilet is on the first floor. The access routes are uneven cobblestones. There is a gate between the courtyard of the Art House and the Brinkkala courtyard. For more information on accessibility in Finnish: taiteentalo.fi
An induction loop will be used at the event.
Sign language interpretation into Finnish sign language will be available.
Parking
The Art House has no parking spaces of its own. You can drive to the courtyard until 17:00, for example, to transport goods or people. Due to the Valon Polku event, it is not possible to enter the courtyard by car between 17:00 and 22:00. Parking is possible in the immediate vicinity of the gate on Nunnankatu, which is about 70 metres from the entrance. Other parking spaces are available on Hämeenkatu and a little further away around Turku Cathedral.
Café
Café Elephanten is located in the Art House. The café is open on 5.12. from 10 AM to 10 PM.
Organisers
The Threshold Association, Tukilinja-säätiö, Culture for All Service and Kulttuuriyhdistys Suomen EUCREA ry.
More information
info.disabilityday@gmail.com
tel. +358407342345
