Join us in celebrating the 10th Annual Very Special Art Festival, a joyful celebration of creativity, inclusion, and community! 

This year, our most beloved event is going virtual with the theme of What I Want To Do.

Let this be a time for us to reflect, express, and connect—through colors, stories, and imagination that know no limits.

Founded by CIDA, the Very Special Art Festival began with the dream of creating a space where individuals with disabilities and members of the wider community come together through the power of art. Especially during these challenging times, our vision and hope remain stronger than ever.

Please follow the guidelines below:

📍 Submission Details

• Eligibility:  Person with a disability aged 5 or above

• Accepted Media: Two-dimensional artwork (such as drawings, paintings, or collages) Digital Art will not be accepted.

• Dimension:  16” x 20” Paper

• Submission: Email the painting image to art@cidainfo.com

** Please note that the awarded paintings must be shipped to CIDA prior to the award ceremony. Awardees will be contacted individually and provided with postage for shipping.

📅 Important Dates

• Submission Deadline: October 4, 2025

• Winner Announced: October 8, 2025

• Send out the original painting if selected to be awardee: October 13, 2025

🏆 Awards: Five Winners

• 1st Place: $500 CIDA Scholarship + 2 CIDA Gala Tickets (November 1 at 6pm)

• 2nd Place:  $400 Mimi Jeongmi Youn Scholarship

• 3rd, 4th & 5th Place :  BLICK Art Materials Gift Cards

🖼️ Benefits for Award Recipients

• An invitation to join CIDA’s Art Fellowship

• The opportunity to showcase their work in an online exhibition

• Participation in a group gallery show in Queens, NY

🛑Disqualification Criteria:

• Winners must submit their artwork; failure to do so will result in automatic disqualification.

• All submissions must be original, created solely by the artist.

• Works must not violate any copyrights or intellectual property rights. 

• No digital editing or filters allowed.  

Disclaimer: CIDA retains ownership of all shipped artwork. CIDA is not responsible for lost or misplaced artwork.

📞 If you have any questions or concerns, you can reach us at hpark@gmail.com or call us at 718-224-8197 ext. 1. To learn more about CIDA, please visit us at cidainfo.com.