A Sensory Gala and Community Festival is coming to Bison Lodge on April 10 and 11 to raise money for some good causes and make a fun, creative space for everyone. "Sensory was created because I have two daughters, one who's neurodivergent and one with disabilities," said Louise Berezowsky, founder of Sensory Canada. "We've been in a lot of spaces where they're both included, but they don't really feel like they belong." These events are designed to truly make space for everyone, she told Taproot. "It's not our responsibility as a community to ask people to shrink into spaces where they don't feel like they belong," she said. "We hope at Sensory to change that scaffolding and that foundation so our girls don't feel like they need to shrink."
The gala on April 10 will raise money for Autism Edmonton, the oldest autism organization in the province. The Braille Tones will perform, and there will be "immersive sensory zones, creative installations, and opportunities to connect with community leaders and changemakers." Everything is designed to not just give lip service to inclusion, but to create that sense of belonging. "We're all different flowers in the same garden; if we were all the same, we wouldn't really be a beautiful garden," Berezowky said.
The festival on April 11 will offer a day-long experience meant to be accessible and enjoyable for all ages and all abilities. There will be live performances, a neurodivergent market, and sensory installations. Proceeds will support AdaptAbilities, the Edmonton Association of the Deaf, and community-driven accessibility initiatives such as The Braille Tones. Such fundraising is important because grant funding for non-profits is becoming sparser, Berezowsky said. "We noticed that there's a really big gap in the funding model. Grants are getting smaller, and charities are having to compete," she said. "Grants come with golden handcuffs — you can usually only use grants for your programs and services, but often charities can't use that for their operating dollars."