Image Description: Kass Prus, a white skinned non-binary person with buzzed hair looks directly at the camera with a small smirk. They are wearing large-framed tortoise-shell glasses, a sleeveless, vertically striped button down shirt, flat black stud earrings, and a 3 strand “намисто” (a traditional Ukrainian coral necklace).
Kass Prus (Кассандра Прус) was born into a home immersed in ancestral Ukrainian traditions, music, art, and resistance to imperialism. Since learning to live more openly as a queer, non-binary, autistic, and physically disabled creator, Кассандра uses contemporary performance to queer & crip Slavic folk art practices as a way of reclaiming their heritage on their own terms.
As an administrator, facilitator, and movement therapist, Kass works to close the gaps between intent and action – particularly around accessibility, equity, and inclusion – in arts, culture, and wellness spaces. They bring learnings and skills from a Metcalf Foundation Internship at SummerWorks Festival focusing on accessibility for artsworkers, as well as recent experiences with Pushmakers (Shay Erlich), Dancemakers, Generator TO, Mass Culture, Nightwood Innovators, Rhubarb Festival, and The Stay Connected Program for Seniors. Kass is passionate about cultivating shared knowledge and cross-sector collaboration to nurture care and reduce burnout in the arts.
**Next Steps, Together: From Inspiration to Action October 10, 3:15 PM - 4:45 PM Presenter: Kass Prus Location: Aki Studio** After two full days of learning and conversation, this 90-minute closing session turns ideas into action. In breakout groups, participants will connect with one another to leave the conference not just with inspiration, but with allies, plans, and practical pathways forward. Discussions may centre on pooling resources, sharing staff and people-power, collaborating on advocacy, or pursuing joint fundraising — as well as any other ideas sparked by the conference. This is a chance to find collaborators among the organizations, producers, funders, and individuals in the room, and to build connections that will carry on beyond the conference.