This website and toolkit is part of larger research project exploring improvisation, disability, and social isolation through strength and creativity. This project has had various stages, including pilot projects and feasibility studies, as well as an international project connecting with partners. See the About this Project page for more info.
The researchers and artists are:
Dr. Michelle Stewart
Dr. Michelle Stewart is an Associate Professor in Justice Studies and Director of the Community Research Unit at the University of Regina. She holds multiple appointments on research teams including being the Strategic Research Lead with Canada FASD Research Network. As an applied anthropologist, Michelle’s work involves community-engaged projects focused on cognitive disabilities, mental health and racialized inequalities. Michelle’s research addresses these social justice issues through mobilization of research findings that focus on policy outcomes while also working directly with stakeholders to change programs and practices as a mechanism to bring about better justice outcomes for individuals but with attention to the systemic nature of these forms of oppression. For more information about her research please visit https://uregina.academia.edu/MichelleStewart
Dr. Rebecca Caines
Dr. Rebecca Caines is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Media, Art, and Performance at the University of Regina. She is the director of the Regina Improvisation Studies Centre, which is a site in a national partnership that examines improvisation and social practice, entitled the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation. Her research investigates the creative and political potential of community-engaged art, new technologies and interdisciplinary art, and she has made collaborative art projects with partners in Australia, Canada, Northern Ireland, China and the Netherlands. You can see more of her projects here: https://rebeccacaines.org
Research Team
We would particularly like to thank our long term funders who are all listed on the home page. Without you this wouldn’t have been possible.
Canada
University of Regina
Rebecca Caines
Michelle Stewart
Mia Bell
University of Victoria
Sara Ramshaw
Community Partners
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Society of Yukon (FASSY)
FASD Network Saskatchewan
Regina Community Clinic
Assante Centre
We have also been working with a huge team of partners, including people living with disabilities, parents, community groups, universities and colleges, students, artists and art centres, consultants and therapists, and research and art funding bodies.
Northern Ireland
Sonic Arts Research Centre, Queen’s University Belfast
Paul Stapleton
Pedro Rebelo
Franziska Schroeder
Simon Waters
Miguel Ortiz
John D’Arcy
Zeynep Bulut
Trevor Agus
Koichi Samuels
Matilde Meireles
Michael McKnight
Community Partners
Damian Mills (The Drake Music Project Northern Ireland)
Paul Larkin (University of Atypical)
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust – Arts in Health (and associated groups)
Cregagh Community Centre
Australia
University of the Sunshine Coast
Christian Jones (Engage Lab)
Ben Rolfe (Engage Lab)
University of Western Australia
Harry Blagg (University of Western Australia Law School)
Community Partners
Family Matters
Developmental Disabilities
We have created this toolkit as a free resource and thank everyone that has contributed time and ideas to this project. We hope you will share your insights and feedback with us as we work to continue to improve the content and format.
Watch a video about the toolkit here: