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ContactThe Mad Pride Toronto 2013 Schedule
A full schedule of Mad Pride Toronto 2013 events will be available here at the end of June and in the July 1st edition of the Consumer/Survivor Information Bulletin.
Subscribe by emailing csinfo@camh.ca.
Our Call for Submissions to Mad Pride 2013 is open until Friday, April 26th. It can be printed here. PLEASE HELP CIRCULATE
Do you want to host a consumer/survivor-driven event, performance, talk, presentation, film, or panel discussion at Mad Pride Toronto 2013? Please let us know via our event submission form – which will be available here or by calling Tina at 416 926-9762 x 245. Contact: events@madprideto.com Click here for the event submission form (PDF Fillable)
Do you want to submit to our second juried Art Exhibition? We invite two dimensional, sculptural, or time-based art submissions from psychiatric survivors, consumers, and mad people. Contact: Martine at martinematthews@soundtimes.com Click here for the Exhibition submission form (PDF Fillable)
If you are a consumer/survivor and would like to display/sell your art, crafts, buttons, t-shirts, knitting, zines, books, music, baked goods or promote your blog, website, group, network, idea, consider requesting a table at the Mad Market. Contact: outreach@madprideto.com
Mad pride Toronto 2013 presents:
Altered States
Movies by Mad People
Share your mad, consumer, ex-psych, survivor, crazy, and "illness-ified" visions with us!
We are planning a day of screenings at Mad Pride Toronto 2013, July 8-14, of works made and curated by mad people. There's no theme: works need not exemplify anything other than your own creativity, but we do seek works created by people with experience of the mental health system.
Please submit your work, by June 1st, 2013, on a DVD in .mp4 format if possible to:
Friends and Advocates
2340 Dundas W, Toronto, ON
M6P 4A9
Please contact events@madprideto.com if submitting an unfinished piece.
Important Things To Know
Can't make it in person?
You don’t need to be in Toronto to have Mad Pride. Celebrate from wherever you happen to be! We’re hoping to live stream as many presentations as possible – but why not consider hosting a Mad Pride event in your own home, organization, or geographical area!? See some of our ideas here
If you send us your event info, we’ll help tell others about your festivities.
ACCESSIBILITY
Nearly all events will be indoors, air conditioned, free, and wheelchair accessible. Email access@madprideto.com for further details or if you have specific access concerns.
PRESS/PHOTOS
The Mad Pride Media Sub-Committee (media@madprideto.com) will be in contact with the press. Journalists will be invited and may be present at various events. They will be wearing red name tags. We ask everyone (the press and the public – YOU) to ask permission of the people whose photos you would like to take before taking them. While our events are open to the public, with our Bed Push Parade being particularly visible, we encourage the community to respect peoples’ needs and desires for privacy. Please be aware that the use of flash can pose health concerns for people. If you’re unable to obtain permission, consider taking photos of hats, costumes, banners, artwork!
These displays document our culture and pride perhaps more effectively than photos of people.
FIRST TIME?
Welcome, welcome! We’re delighted to “admit” new mad people, psychiatric survivors, consumers, folks labelled “mentally ill”, and those in solidarity with us to our Mad Movement. Come as you are, do as you do. Drop-in for an “intake” appointment anytime from July 8-14, 2013. (You know mad people are a fun, funny group, yes?)
The Multiple Personalities of Mad Pride Toronto
Mad Pride Toronto features a number of event themes that run throughout the week.
Architecture of Mad: Art by Mad People
The name of the exhibition relates to the social construct within which we are deemed mentally ill and Other. The name reflects our desire to reclaim pejorative terms and, in so doing, empowering ourselves. To us, “Mad” is a great word that describes struggles that most people cannot even imagine. We are coming to terms with the fact that we cannot do things in the same way as so-called normal people, and are instead developing new ways in which to do things. We understand that our timeline for getting through life is often interrupted by crises and hospitalizations and that becomes part of who we are. We regard ourselves as survivors of often intense struggles. Because of this we are powerful.
Click here for the 2013 Exhibition submission form (PDF Fillable)Architecture of Mad is the things we build or make.
Take a look at last year’s events!
Eating Word Salad: Mad People Rewriting the Patient Library
Word Salad: incoherent speech consisting of both real and imaginary words, lacking comprehensive meaning, and occurring in schizophrenic states or other pathological conditions.
Eating Word Salad: Celebrating the real and imaginary literary works of mad people, in all their glorious states. Who ordered the salad? Mad people have often been told that our words don’t make sense. We say, “Eat it!” Come out to the book launches, talks, and readings of the mad folks “rewriting the patient library”. Eating Word Salad features the works of writers in a variety of genres including fiction, autobiography, and graphic novels. Yummy!
Take a look at last year’s events!
Mad Love: Parties by Mad People
In a world where mad people are still told we shouldn’t spend too much time together outside of “group therapy”, let alone date or pro-create, Mad Love rules the night at Mad Pride! With comedy, dance parties, and performances, you’ll be treated to a manic delight. In the past, events have featured the Mad Comedy Jam, and a killer show by the Running Red Lights. Tired of a Toronto night life that leaves a normal taste in your mouth? Then come and jam with Toronto’s wildest lunatics, and spread the Mad Love.
Take a look at last year’s events!
The Mad Market: Goods Made by Mad People
Mad people have been selling their wares together at the Mad Market since the 1970’s! Mad Pride Toronto honours this tradition by hosting the Mad Market during Mad Pride. Along with the many mad goods for sale and display (t-shirts, buttons, artwork, digital arts, crafts, music, jewelry, books, knitting, blogs, leaflets, zines, baked goods), the market features a myriad of performance artists who create a truly bizarre atmosphere!
The Mad Think Tank Series: Mad Movement Thinking In and Out of School
If there is one thing mad people know how to do, it’s think! The “Think Tank” is a collection of talks and workshops that showcases a diversity of perspectives about mad communities, the mental health system, and anti-oppressive thought. The series strives to ensure that community-based work is highlighted alongside the work of mad academics and scholars. Past Think Tank topics have included the Inquiry into the Schizophrenia Label, Mad Social Work, Mad Empowerment, anti-oppression, and the LGBTQ Out to Lunch Meet-Up. Shrinks say they’d like us to have more “insight”. Well how ‘bout these?!
Take a look at last year’s events!
The Great Escape Bed Push Parade
We’re breaking out for the 7th straight year! Historically, the Bed Push marches from 1001 Queen Street West (CAMH) to 1499 Queen Street West (PARC – Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre) signifying Mad people’s escape from asylums back into the community. Join us for speeches, drumming, and a march/roll down the sidewalks of Queen Street W. Bring your costumes, pajamas, hats, mad gear, signs, banners, instruments, children, family, friends – and yourself!
Take a look at last year’s event!
Join our Facebook page and invite your friends!
Can’t get to Mad Pride Toronto? Celebrate where you are! Email outreach@madprideto.com to tell us what you’re planning so we can promote it!