Anika Vervecken

Anika (she/her) is a queer, neurodiverse single mom who was born in Belgium. She is a leader in accessibility for performing arts who uses her background in theatre, music and translation as well as her own lived experience to fully implement and hone her skills and vision as an access activator. Her work testifies to an ongoing pursuit of new ways to invite people to experience live performance by developing new initiatives (workshops, outreach programs, training) as well as innovative techniques (like writing introductions when there are no resources or the show only requires minimal additional information to become accessible).

Anika is known for a people centred approach. Her first priority is always connection with the community you aim to serve, by connecting you with potential consultants and organizing consultations with community members. And though she is ambitious, she recognizes that any plan needs to include care for the team executing the work and that often means doing less while moving forward with care and intentionality.  Anika’s strengths are her brilliantly chaotic and wildly creative brain and a beautiful voice she doesn’t use enough.

Anika is currently working with the PuSh Festival, Writers Festival, Zee Zee theatre, the Dance Centre to name just a few. On a national and international level she has worked with the Folda Festival and Xenia Concerts in Ontario, the SoundOff Festival (Edmonton), KiddPivot (Vancouver), Peter Brook (Paris, France), the CDNO (Orleans, France), Toneelhuis (Antwerp, Belgium), DeSingel (Antwerp, Belgium), Kunstenfestivaldesarts(Brussels, Belgium), Teatro Trieste 34 (Piacenza, Italy).

She is also on the board of the MENA Film Festival and cares for a Deaf man with a developmental disability.