Arts

Visual and performing artists of all ages who have a disability are invited to submit artwork and/or apply to perform in a countywide celebration of Arts and Disability

See entry forms for rules and guidelines below:

• Visual Arts Rules and Entry Form
• ​Performing Arts Rules and Entry Form

Artwork may be delivered to OCDE in person or via disitrict mail attention to Carey Arias:

• Hours 8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
• 200 Kalmus Drive | Costa Mesa | CA 92626

For content questions, contact Marleena Barber at s.mbarber@ocde.us

For submission questions, contact Carey Arias at carias@ocde.us​

​​​​​Click HERE​ to watch a video recap of the 2023 Orange County Arts and Disability Festival.

​

What is the Orange County Arts and Disability Festival?

The annual Orange County Arts and Disability Festival is held each spring to culminate year-round, school and community-based arts program efforts, including hands-on workshops, a resource fair of community organizations that provide services to the disability community, performances, and a visual art exhibit, serving all ages and all disabilities. The opening ceremonies showcase outstanding performers and provide an overview of the day's activities. Individuals and organizations that have sponsored and supported the Orange County Arts and Disability programs are acknowledged and the themed art contest winner is recognized.

All schools and organizations serving the disabled are invited to participate, along with the inclusive classes. Each year, a theme is selected, and lesson plans are provided to assist instructors in utilizing the arts and teaching other curricular areas in and through the arts.

The festival provides:

• opportunities for individuals with disabilities to showcase their artistic abilities
• opportunities for instructors to observe the work of others
• opportunities for parents and families to appreciate the work of their visual or performing artist
• opportunities to develop public awareness of the value of the arts in the lives of all individuals

Orange County Arts and Disability Programs and Learning Opportunities

Annual Orange County Arts and Disability Festival

A Countywide festival showcasing the artistic abilities and accomplishments of children and adults with disabilities. All disabilities are served and all arts disciplines are included: creative writing, dance, music, theatre, and visual arts.

Small Paintings Project

Orange County Arts and Disability​ provides a comprehensive visual art series of seven (7) consecutive sessions where students learn the elements of art, work with various media (including clay, watercolor, tempera, and acrylics) create a large painting, reduce the size, and finally produce a small 4" x 6" painting on canvas. The final session includes an exhibit and reception for parents, families, friends and other classrooms.

Arts on the Move

A traveling exhibit of selected works drawn from over 1,000 submissions received annually from public and private schools and organizations throughout Orange County. These works are showcased in such venues as the Orange County Department of Education Art Gallery, Schools First Federal Credit Union, and other locations as requested. The exhibit is available to be displayed at your location on request.

Educator's Workshops

Professional development opportunities designed to train artists, educators, therapists, and parents are offered to utilize the arts with students/clients in the areas of creative writing, dance, music, theatre, and the visual arts. Presenters are selected from local artists and classroom educators who have provided outstanding training to their students in special education classes.  

Special Appropriations

Orange County Arts and Disability​ offers small mini-grants to schools and agencies to promote art activities that contribute to learning and to the success of individuals with disabilities. Instructors are invited to submit an application for a project and or equipment/materials that will benefit the program and the students or clients served.

• Applications are accepted year-round, and applicants may request a maximum of $300.00. 

• Please submit unique projects in which funds are not available from your school or organization.

• A written report is required at the conclusion of the project.

Special Appropriations Application    

​​​Festival of Children

Orange County Arts and Disability participates with a booth in the Festival of Children, held annually at South Coast Plaza during the month of September. 

Festival of Children Homepage

Laguna Beach Festival of Arts

Since 2009, artists/judges from the Festival of Arts have selected Orange County Arts and Disability art work to include in the Junior Art Exhibit of the annual summer festival. This has been an honor and wonderful opportunity to show that Orange County Arts and Disability artists have talents that are equal to the work of regular education students. 

Festival of Arts Homepage

​Sensory-Friendly Art Workshops at Main Place Mall:
In addition to hosting Orange County Arts and Disability Festival in April, Main Place Mall occasionally holds sensory-friendly events such as sensory-friendly photos with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Main Place Mall has partnered with Orange County Arts and Disability​ to offer free sensory-friendly art workshops for children with disabilities.

Kennedy Center’s Office of VSA and Accessibility

Arts Orange County (ArtsOC) is the independent nonprofit arts council for Orange County, California.

• Please refer to their website​.
• For a list of events, refer to their “Spark OC" website​.

If you are a Community Arts Partner, please feel free to submit information to be included in our newsletter, click here​. 

Orange County Chapter American Orff-Schulwerk Association

 State ​Professional Organizations​

• https://www.cdeadance.org/
• https://calmusiced.com/
• https://www.cetoweb.org/
• https://caea-arteducation.org/

​​Challenge America Grant Program

The Challenge America Fast-Track category offers support primarily to small and mid-sized organizations for projects that extend the reach of the arts to underserved populations -- those whose opportunities to experience the arts are limited by geography, ethnicity, economics, or disability. Age alone (e.g., youth, seniors) does not qualify a group as underserved; at least one of the underserved characteristics noted above also must be present. Grants are available for professional arts programming and for projects that emphasize the potential of the arts in community development. Grants are for a fixed amount of $10,000 and require a minimum $10,000 match. http://arts.gov/grants-organizations/challenge-america/grant-program-description

The Disneyland® Resort CREATE Grants Program

The Disneyland Resort CREATE Grants program provides Orange County teachers with classroom materials that support visual and performing arts.  Visit http://www.donorschoose.org/teachers to complete your project request.