Community Inclusion and Development Alliance
Very Special Art Festival
The Very Special Art Festival was initiated by the Community Inclusion & Development Alliance (CIDA) in 2016 to promote inclusion opportunities for young adults with disabilities through creative art activities. The event also provides opportunities for community members and college students to interact with families with disabilities so that they can actively get involved, learn and act on social inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Over the years, the Art Festival has become a place where many young artists with disabilities discover their talents, get acknowledged as artists, and pursue their careers in art. CIDA is currently working on linking the VSAF with the Art Initiative at CoSpire!, CIDA's workforce development project to create social and economic opportunities for these young people with disabilities.
The Art Contest portion of the Festival is open to all visual artists under the age of 30, from novices to professionals. The Very Special Art Festival is held every year during the Fall.
Artist Discovered by The Very Special Art Festival
Julia Lee
Julia Lee is a two-time winner of the Very Special Art Festival Contest. She is a woman with a disability who discovered her talent and passion for art through a Very Special Art Festival. She made her depute as a professional artist in 2021 and continued her career as a passionate artist.