The Voice - Voices without Barriers with Tara Lyon

Learn about a music festival with accessibility focus. Reaching all individuals in Edmonton, regardless of abilities, you are invited to learn about the September 26 music festival.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:00

You're listening to the Voice of Albertans with Disabilities podcast, where we share real conversations, resources, and stories that support a more inclusive and accessible community. I'm your host, Teresa Makarewich, and today I'm joined with VAD's Executive Director, Tara Lyon, to talk about an exciting event coming to our community, Voices Without Barriers Music Festival. Before we begin, Voice of Albertans with Disabilities gratefully acknowledges that what we now call Alberta is located on the traditional and ancestral territories and gathering places of the many diverse indigenous peoples whose histories, languages, and cultures continue to enrich our communities. We make this acknowledgement in the spirit of reconciliation and gratitude to the many First Nations, Metis settlement, and the six regions of the Metis nations of Alberta and Inuit, who have cared for these lands for generations. Hi, hi. Tara, thank you so much for joining us today. I'm really looking forward to learning more about voices without barriers and everything that people can look forward to. To start us off, can you introduce yourself and tell our listeners a little bit about your role at Voice of Albertans with Disabilities and the work that VAD does?

Speaker 1:11

First of all, thank you so much for having me, Teresa. It's wonderful, of course, to be here. As Teresa mentioned, I'm Tara Lyon, the executive director of Voice of Albertans with Disabilities, and I genuinely feel privileged to lead an organization that's making a real difference in the lives of Albertans with disabilities. No two days are ever the same. One day I'm meeting with government officials or community partners, and another day I'm working on fundraising, strategic planning, grant writing, or supporting our incredible team. But everything we do comes back to one goal: helping people. At BAD, we help people navigate programs like AISH, now ADAP, CPP Disability, the Disability Tax Credit, and other important supports. We provide education, connect people with resources, and work to remove barriers so people with disabilities can fully participate in their communities. The thing I love most about VAD is that we're always looking ahead. We're not just helping people access services, we're asking, how do we build communities where everyone truly belongs? And that's exactly what inspired Voices Without Barriers.

Speaker 1 2:22

Perfect. That gives everyone some great background. Let's talk about Voices Without Barriers Music Festival. What is the festival all about and what inspired VAD to create it?

Speaker 2:33

Yeah, so for me, this festival is quite deeply personal. Um, my youngest son is autistic, and like the rest of our family, he absolutely loves music. We spend a lot of time going to live music venues between Edmonton and Calgary. But while the rest of us are enjoying the show, he's often struggling. The crowds can be overwhelming. And even with noise-canceling headphones, which he wears everywhere, the volume can actually be physically painful for him. More often than not, he ends up missing out. So what makes it even harder is that music is one of his greatest joys. In the car, he's the one singing every word, keeping perfect time and bopping his head to every song. Watching him light up with music, but then not be able to enjoy a live concert really struck with me. I started thinking: if my own son is experiencing this, how many other individuals and families in our VAD community are too? So my son kind of inspired this festival, but he certainly isn't the only reason it exists. He helped me realize that if our family was facing these barriers, countless other families across Alberta were too. So I thought, what if we created a festival where accessibility wasn't an afterthought? What if everyone could simply come and enjoy themselves? So my son practically grew up at the Center for Autism Services Alberta when it was located on 99th Street. So right away I started to reach out to other organizations in our community to see if they believed in this vision as much as I did and we did at VAT. I was thrilled by the response. Autism Edmonton also immediately came on board to support one of the features I'm probably most excited about, our sensory space. Voices Without Barriers is our way of saying everyone deserves to experience the joy of live music in a space where they feel welcomed, supported, and included.

Speaker 1 4:33

Many music festivals focus only on entertainment. What makes Voices Without Barriers different? And what experience are you hoping people leave with?

Speaker 4:42

Most festivals focus on entertainment, as you mentioned, and we'll certainly have incredible entertainment present from across Alberta, actually. But Voices Without Barriers is really about belonging.

Speaker 1 4:56

For someone hearing about the festival for the first time, how can they become involved? Are there opportunities to volunteer, sponsor, perform, or simply attend and support the event?

Speaker 5:07

Well, there are so many ways to be involved. Come and enjoy the festival. Volunteer your time, become a sponsor, support our performers, tell your friends and family, share our social media posts. And remember that every ticket purchased, every sponsor, every volunteer, and every conversation helps build a stronger, more inclusive community.

Speaker 1 5:30

Let's talk about the entertainment. What can people expect from the lineup this year? Are there any performers or highlights you're especially excited about?

Speaker 5:40

Absolutely. So they can expect an incredible day of music, community, and connection. We'll have talented performers, many with lived experience of disability, community organizations, local vendors, great food, family-friendly activities, and opportunities to learn about resources available throughout Alberta. We're also incredibly fortunate to have Terry Evans as our master of ceremonies. Terry has been an amazing supporter of VAD and of the Edmonton community for many years. And we're thrilled he'll be helping guide us through what promises to be an unforgettable day. So we have some acts coming up from Calgary, we have some acts coming up from Red Deer, and we have a lot of local Edmonton acts as well. So everything from rock to country, uh, a little bit of hip hop, very minimal, but uh it should be turned out to be an amazing day for everyone.

Speaker 1 6:38

Accessibility is at the heart of everything VAD does. What accessibility features and accommodations will be available to help ensure everyone can fully enjoy the festival?

Speaker 6:49

Neat. So accessibility isn't one feature. It's really the foundation of this event. We'll have a dedicated sensory-friendly room that's approximately 26 by 25 feet with 11.5 foot ceilings. It's a large, quiet space where people can step away from the stimulation, regulate, recharge, and return to the festival when they're ready. For many people, attending an event means pushing through sensory overload until they have to leave. We wanted to change that. Taking a break shouldn't mean your day is over. We'll also have ASL interpretation, cart live captioning, accessible seating, accessible washrooms, and a venue dedicated to welcoming people with a wide range of disabilities. We're also going to be having some really unique tactile devices that will be built. Western Canada have never seen. Very exciting. We want people focusing on enjoying the music, not worrying about accessibility.

Speaker 1 7:53

If someone is listening today and thinking I'd love to go, how can they purchase tickets? Is there anything they should know before attending?

Speaker 8:01

Yeah, so the easiest way is by visiting our website, vadsociety.ca forward slash events. We've intentionally kept ticket prices affordable because accessibility also includes affordability. Children to and under are free, and individuals who need a support person can bring one support person free of charge as well. We're also encouraging community individuals who would like to give tickets to purchase tickets through the platform. We encourage people to purchase tickets early because we're expecting an amazing turnout.

Speaker 1 8:37

Beyond being a fun event, why is the festival like Voices Without Barriers so important? And what barriers does it help break down within our community?

Speaker 8:46

Disability affects millions of Canadians. Yet far too many people still miss out on community events because barriers exist. Sometimes those barriers are physical, sometimes they're sensory, sometimes they're financial, and sometimes they're simply because accessibility wasn't considered from the beginning. This festival challenges that thinking. It demonstrates that accessibility doesn't take away from an event and makes the experience better for everyone. I hope people leave feeling inspired, not just by the music, but by what's possible when inclusion is intentional.

Speaker 1 9:24

Music is obviously a huge part of the day, but what else can visitors expect?

Speaker 9:29

Yeah, so this is much more than a concert. Visitors will have the opportunity to connect with community organizations, learn about services and supports, visit local vendors, enjoy great food, participate in family-friendly activities, and hopefully make some lasting connections. We want people to leave not only with wonderful memories, but also knowing where they can turn for support and community.

Speaker 1 9:55

So will there be community organizations, vendors, family activities, accessibility demonstrations? Is there food or opportunities connect with local services?

Speaker 10:08

Yeah, so as mentioned, accessibility activities, not so much, but there will be the opportunity to try this the tactile devices for the community. So even if you're an individual that does not have a disability, you'll be able to see what VAD has been able to build for the community.

Speaker 1 10:29

What impact do you hope this festival has, not just on people attending, but on Edmonton and Alberta as a whole?

Speaker 10:36

So that's a great question. I hope this festival starts conversations. I hope organizations begin thinking differently about accessibility. I hope businesses recognize that inclusion benefits everyone. Most importantly, I hope someone with a disability attends and feels seen, welcomed, and celebrated. But I also hope this is just the beginning. Our vision isn't simply to host a successful event in Edmonton. We'd love to hear from municipalities across Alberta that see the value in an event like this and would be interested in bringing voices without barriers to their own communities. Imagine a festival that travels throughout Alberta, partnering with local municipalities, community organizations, performers, and businesses to create accessible, inclusive celebrations wherever they're held. We know every community is different, but the need for belonging, connection, and accessibility exists everywhere. My hope is that municipalities will see the positive impact this festival has, not just for people with disabilities, but for their entire community and want to be part of making that vision a reality. If this festival inspires communities across Alberta to invest in accessibility and inclusion, then we'll know we've accomplished something truly meaningful.

Speaker 1 12:01

Is Voices Without Barriers something VAT hopes will become an annual tradition? And what does the future of this festival look like?

Speaker 12:09

Yes, absolutely. This is just the beginning. Our hope is that Voices Without Barriers becomes one of Alberta's signature accessible festivals. One that grows every year, welcomes more performers, more organizations, more families, and continues raising the standard for accessibility across the province.

Speaker 1 12:30

That's great. Before we wrap up, what's one thing you wish more people understood about disability accessibility and the purpose behind Voices Without Barriers?

Speaker 12:40

Yeah, I think sometimes people hear the word accessibility and assume it's only about ramps or reserved parking. Those things absolutely matter, but accessibility is so much bigger than that. As a mom of an autistic son, I've watched him miss out on experience he's generally wanted to be part of. Not because he didn't love music, but because the environment wasn't designed for people like him in mind. Accessibility is really about creating opportunities for everyone to participate in ways that work for them. Sometimes that's a sensory room, sometimes it's captioning, sometimes it's ASL interpretation. Whatever the accommodation, it's about saying you belong here too. That's the heart of voices without barriers.

Speaker 1 13:28

Great. As we come to the end of our conversation, what's one message you'd like listeners to take away from today?

Speaker 13:36

I'd invite everyone listening to come experience voices without barriers for themselves. Whether you have a disability, love someone who does, or simply believe in creating stronger communities, this festival is for you. And if you're listening from another municipality, we'd love to hear from you. If your community shares this vision of creating a truly accessible and inclusive festival, let's start that conversation. We'd love to see Voices Without Barriers grow into something that communities across Alberta can embrace together. Together, we can build communities where everyone feels welcomed, valued, respected, and included. Because when we remove barriers, everyone benefits.

Speaker 1 14:19

Tara, thank you so much for taking the time to join us today. Voices Without Barriers Music Festival sounds like it's going to be an incredible celebration of music, inclusion, accessibility, and community. We can't wait to see everyone there. A special thank you to our listeners for tuning in to the Voice of Albertans with Disabilities podcast. And a thank you again to Tara for sharing her time, her vision, and passion for creating communities where everyone belongs. If today's conversation inspired you or someone you know, we encourage you to learn more about the Voices Without Barriers Music Festival and the many programs and services offered by Voice of Albertans with Disabilities. Visit www.vadsociety.ca or call 780-488-9088 for more information. If you have ideas for a future podcast, topic, or guests, we'd love to hear from you. Please email me at vad@ vadsociety.ca. Don't forget to subscribe, share this episode with others, and join us next time as we continue sharing conversations that promote accessibility, equity, inclusion, and full participation for all. Until next time, thank you for listening. Together in support, inclusion, and community.