A Free Sensory-Inclusive Day for Children and Adults with Diverse Developmental Needs
Maple Ridge, B.C., February 4, 2026 – The City of Maple Ridge is pleased to announce its upcoming Sensory Friendly Day, a free community event at The ACT Art Centre Gallery aimed at providing a supportive gallery experience for families and individuals with autism and diverse development needs.
The event will take place on Saturday, February 7, from 12 to 4 p.m. at 11944 Haney Place and invites neurodivergent children and adults to interact, explore, and play in a welcoming and calm environment. We encourage families to pre-register for this event at Purchase.MapleRidgeACT.ca or by calling the Ticket Centre at 604-476-2787 ext. 1.
As a neurodivergent woman herself, Duclos is intentional in creating safe spaces where art can be enjoyed through a hands-on approach. Her solo exhibition, Reappraisal, provides sensory accessibility through touch-based interactive installations.
"Many autistic brains process the world through touch... at Reappraisal, you can touch," says Katherine Duclos, the current exhibiting artist at The ACT Arts Centre Gallery. "I made this show for accessibility reasons. I wanted everybody to come, enjoy, and process."
Interactive elements include "tools for viewing"—as the artist calls them—such as hand mirrors, viewfinders, coloured lenses, and magnifying glasses. A scavenger hunt encourages close looking, while regulation stations invite visitors to arrange and compose artworks using materials from the exhibition itself.
"Reappraisal reflects the City’s commitment to accessibility, engagement, and inclusive creative practices," says Russ Brummer, the Manager of Arts, Culture and Events. "We’re proud to open this new chapter of The ACT Art Gallery with an exhibition that welcomes curiosity, play, and multiple ways of experiencing art."
Additionally, on Saturday, February 28, from 2 to 3 p.m., Duclos will engage in an artist talk about the exhibition. Attendees will hear in-depth anecdotes about the exhibition's inspiration, origin, and creation process. This event will also include a Q + A segment with the artist. For those who cannot attend in person, the special event will also be streamed live on the @ArtsMapleRidge Instagram account.
About the Artist
Katherine Duclos is a Vancouver-based artist who received her MFA in Painting and Drawing from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York in 2011. Born in Massachusetts, she moved from New York City to Vancouver in 2017, where she maintains an active multi-media studio practice. Her work reflects her engagement with family, environment, and her experience as a gifted and disabled Autistic woman and mother. Duclos’s work has been featured in Colossal, Design Milk, School Arts Magazine, Design Boom, LABEL Magazine, CBC Arts and Radio, and The Globe and Mail. She is locally represented by The Rental and Sales Showroom at the Vancouver Art Gallery and has worked as a teaching artist and artist in residence with institutions including Studio in a School (NYC), the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Richmond Art Gallery.
About The ACT Art Gallery
The ACT Art Gallery is owned and operated by the City of Maple Ridge and is located within The ACT Arts Centre, a community hub for arts and culture. The Gallery presents rotating exhibitions year-long, featuring emerging, and mid-career artists from across the region and beyond.
For additional information, contact TheACT@MapleRidge.ca and follow the @ArtsMapleRidge on Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates.
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Media contact:
Russ Brummer, Manager of Arts, Culture and Events
T 604 466 7498 C 604 368 3670 E RBrummer@MapleRidge.ca