Disability Innovation in Art and Technology

Leonardo/ISAST announces CripTech Incubator’s inaugural cohort of six disabled artists, who have been selected to create and showcase innovative work in art and technology at residency sites across California. Leonardo’s artist fellows include: Carmen Papalia, Olivia Ting, Josephine Shokrian, Meesh Fradkin, Andy Slater and moira williams. Supported by the California Arts Council, CripTech Incubator is an art-and-technology fellowship centered on disability innovation. Encompassing residencies, workshops, presentations, publication and education, this innovation incubator creates a platform for disabled artists to engage and remake creative technologies through the lens of accessibility. 
Within disability culture, the term “crip” recognizes disability as a valued cultural and political identity. But “crip” also identifies an active practice of resistance whereby disabled makers and artists hack environments or technologies, transforming them to be more accessible and inclusive. Cripping new media can engender groundbreaking forms of representation, storytelling, and world-building. 
By integrating radical access as creative practice across Leonardo/ISAST’s wide-ranging suite of international programs, CripTech Incubator aims to transform the larger field of media art and technology. “Leonardo’s CripTech Incubator artists embody the best of human ingenuity and imagination,” said Diana Ayton-Shenker, CEO, Leonardo/ISAST. “We embrace radical access to amplify networks and incubate ideas with the potential for game-changing positive impact.” 
CREDITS
Partnership with Thoughtworks Arts (San Francisco), RadMad Disability Lab (UC Berkeley), Beall Center for Art and Technology (UC Irvine), Santa Barbara Center for Art, Science and Technology, Ground Works with A2rU, Gray Area Foundation for the Arts, Arizona State University and publication with MIT Press. It is supported by the California Arts Council Intersections + Innovations grant.
Organizers
Vanessa Chang, Lindsey Dolich Felt, Danielle Siembieda, Claudia Alick
Source: Leonardo/ISAST