City of Los Angeles celebrates 16th annual Disability Art Exhibition

After three years of virtual exhibitions due to the coronavirus pandemic, the city of Los Angeles Department on Disability Thursday will host the grand opening of the 16th Annual Disability Art Exhibition.

“Art, with its boundless creative process, offers everyone a chance for self-expression and a pathway to self-sufficiency,” Stephen David Simon, executive director for the Department on Disability, said in a statement.

In collaboration with Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez and the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Department on Disability will showcase a new exhibition featuring 42 artists with disabilities at the City Hall Bridge Gallery. Department staff set up the exhibition in recognition of October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

Observed each October, NDEAM celebrates “the contributions of America’s workers with disabilities past and present, and uplifts supportive, inclusive employment polices and practices,” according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s website.

The Disability Art Exhibit will follow this year’s NDEAM-theme “Advancing Access and Equity,” recognizing the importance of ensuring all people have equal opportunities to contribute their skills and talents.

Each artwork label features image descriptions, offered in both large print and braille so that all visitors can engage with the art. Admission is free, and the gallery is open to all during regular City Hall hours.

Additionally, the gallery is available online through the Department on Disability’s website, making it accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to visit in person.

Artwork will be on view Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Nov. 12.