March 2021<br>RETURN OF OUR AUTISM FESTIVAL IN 2021

An event that is one of its kind, the first Autism Festival in 2019 brought together members of the community to celebrate local initiatives that contribute to the development of research in autism and the promotion of an inclusive and engaged society. For the Festival’s first edition, we asked ourselves how research and innovation could become sources of hope and advance the development of a more inclusive society for all.

As part of the inaugural Autism Festival, we held a pre-scientific conference day for community members: an information booth run by students of the TACC training program. The first Festival also served as an opportunity to share lived experiences, notably through attending a conference for families involved in research. The event came to a close in a celebration bringing together the worlds of autism, art and neuroscience.

We had the pleasure of admiring the works of a father and son with autism who used paint and its reflected light to communicate. For them, art, serving as much more than mere words, has become a common thread: that of their conversations. We had the joy of witnessing the amazing talent and precision of a young animal painter along with that of a poet who recounted her own and her son’s experiences on the spectrum. We were awestruck by the intersection of a researcher, his transverse flute, and the work of an autistic composer. We saw the passion behind the performance of a young singer and high school slammers, having come without music. They recounted their challenges, their feats, their lives. Moving moments were lived and shared. The current having passed, the conversation has started.

For the Festival’s second edition, the chosen theme will be that of research engagement. With the imminent launch of the Quebec 1000 Families Project, TACC’s flagship initiative, the matter of community engagement in research is brought to the fore.

Research is enriched by promoting exchange and reducing closed silos as much as possible. The commitment of all parties fuels this new wealth; the data collected comes from a variety of settings, which, in turn, bolsters the discovery process. When research meets community, there exists a chance to share each other’s stories and experiences, creating a sense of belonging and commitment, enrichment and transformation.

To achieve this, TACC has created a Community Engagement Committee, which includes researchers, students and associate members (people with autism and caregivers). One of the mandates of this Committee is to develop and present the second edition of the Autism Festival. Once again, in 2021, the Festival will serve to establish and consolidate ties within the entire TACC community.

To reach our goals, we call on you. We ask that you let your friends and loved ones know that the Autism Festival exists and that all are encouraged to participate. We have chosen the arts as a vehicle for inclusion, given that art exists in so many forms. Today, we talk as much about the art of photography, as the art of medicine: together, let us explore the art of research.