Staging Survivance: Intellectual Disability, De-institutionalization, and Decolonial Arts Education

Authors

• Victoria Freeman Independent Scholar
• Jamie Oshkabewisens Theatre Artist
• Joe Clayton Visual Artist and Disability Activist
• Richard  Fletcher Ohio State University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54916/rae.125082

Keywords:

survivance, deinstitutionalization, indigenous arts, decolonial arts education, theater: intellectual disability

Abstract

This multimedia article comprises an illustrated conversation about the context, creation, and impact of the play Birds Make Me Think About Freedom, between non-Indigenous historian and theater artist Victoria Freeman, Indigenous actor Jamie Oshkabewisens, Indigenous artist and survivor of Rideau Regional Centre in Ontario, Joe Clayton, and non-Indigenous art education professor Richard Fletcher, originally presented at the 3^rd International Conference on Disability Studies, Arts & Education. This slightly revised version of the conversation about intellectual disability, de-institutionalization, and decolonial arts education through the lens of the concept and practice of survivance is accompanied by still images from the play along with other images from the Zoom conversation and details of important artworks used in the play.