Voices Without Barriers: Alberta’s First Fully Accessible Music Festival

Voice of Albertans with Disabilities Society is proud to present Voices Without Barriers, Alberta’s first fully accessible indoor music festival, taking place Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM at The Westin Downtown Edmonton.

For many Albertans with disabilities, live music remains inaccessible. Not because of a lack of talent, passion, or community, but because barriers still exist in too many live event spaces.

Voices Without Barriers is designed to change that.

This inaugural festival is being built from the ground up with accessibility as its foundation. It will bring together music, community, connection, and belonging in a welcoming indoor environment where Albertans with disabilities, families, artists, advocates, and supporters can gather and celebrate together.

About the Festival

Voices Without Barriers is more than a music festival. It is a first of its kind initiative in Alberta that is redefining what accessibility, inclusion, and community engagement can look like in live events. The festival will prioritize Albertans with disabilities and intentionally uplift Indigenous artists with disabilities, while ensuring fair and equitable compensation for performers.

The event will feature accessibility focused supports and inclusive design elements, including:

• Silent market
• Sensory friendly space
• Tactile features for attendees who are visually impaired
• Accessible venue design
• Inclusive music and arts experiences

Festival planning also includes supports such as tactile transducers, live captioning, sensory friendly spaces, and other accessibility features that help remove barriers to participation.

Event Details

Date: Saturday, September 26, 2026
Time: 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Location: The Westin Downtown Edmonton
Address Note: Directly behind the Stanley A. Milner Library, with easy access to the LRT

Tickets

Tickets are available for:

$25 until August 15
$30 after August 15

Early ticket purchase is encouraged.

Why Voices Without Barriers Matters

Live music should be something everyone can experience. Voices Without Barriers creates space for people who are too often excluded from concerts, festivals, and cultural events.

Through this festival, VAD Society is working to:

• Support paid performance opportunities for artists with disabilities
• Increase access to inclusive arts and cultural experiences
• Champion Indigenous representation in music and performance
• Advance accessibility in Alberta’s arts and culture sector
• Build a sustainable, inclusive festival model for future years

Support the Festival

Voices Without Barriers is also an opportunity for organizations, businesses, and community leaders to become part of a meaningful movement for accessibility, equity, and inclusion.

Sponsors help directly fund artist honorariums, accessibility supports such as ASL, live captioning and quiet spaces, accessible venues, and inclusive event design.

Sponsorship levels include:

Community Supporter: $1,000
Accessibility Champion: $2,500
Inclusion Partner: $5,000
Presenting Sponsor: $10,000 plus

Custom sponsorship packages are also available.

Join Us

Voices Without Barriers is about more than music. It is about community. It is about access. It is about creating a space where everyone belongs.

Together, we can help build a more inclusive future for live events in Alberta.

For sponsorship or partnership opportunities, please contact:

Tara Lyon
Executive Director
Voice of Albertans with Disabilities Society
Phone: 780 488 9088 ext. 103
Email: Tara.lyon@vadsociety.ca
Website: www.vadsociety.ca