April Hubbard
2025 Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts
April Hubbard is a Halifax-based performance artist, arts administrator, and Mad Disability advocate. Active in the cultural community for over 20 years, particularly through her association with the Halifax Fringe Festival, she is a passionate arts supporter and an outspoken advocate whose focus is to create inclusive and accessible spaces for disabled and underrepresented artists, and to empower disabled people to discover and celebrate their creativity.
April Hubbard was born in 1985 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Her acting career was cut short following her diagnosis at 17 of tethered cord syndrome. She lives with chronic pain and is a proud wheelchair user.
Shortly after moving to Halifax in 2003, she volunteered at the Halifax Fringe Festival, eventually joining the board of directors. In 2017, she was named the festival’s first female chair and its first Disabled chair. During her tenure, she ensured that the festival was not only a haven for those who did not see themselves reflected onstage, but an organization that champions accessibility and inclusivity.
Her enthusiastic involvement and highly visible presence earned her the nickname of “Fringe Momma.” “I’ve always prided myself on being a face of the festival,” she says. “My record is watching 48 shows in 11 days, on top of volunteering, performing in a show, and giving every waking minute and all of my energy to the festival.”
In 2019, she returned to the stage with her atypical body proudly on display, first as a trapeze artist and acrobat with LEGacy Circus, then as her drag persona, Crip Tease.
In 2021, she authored a report for Eastern Front Theatre outlining barriers to participation in the performing arts in Nova Scotia and making recommendations for change. The report laid the groundwork for the theatre’s ongoing Accessibility Project.
Through her example, April Hubbard has inspired others to be leaders in designing the society in which they wish to live by challenging assumptions and normalizing the presence of disabled people in our world.