ABOUT ARTABILITY

ArtABILITYis a traveling special needs art exhibition organized by the Spirit of Huntington Art Center that showcases the talents of individuals on Long Island living with various physical and cognitive impairments. Its purpose is to educate the community about the remarkable talents of people with disabilities, inspire people to reach beyond their limitations to explore their own creativity, and promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in the arts. Most of all, ArtABILITY aims to show the impact that the arts have on the special needs community. 

 The originals artwork included in the ongoing ArtABILITY exhibition is created through the Spirit of Huntington Artists Come Alive program, a series of classes that introduces students to the lives of famous artists through an interactive slide show presentation which tells the story of the challenges the artists overcame through their art. The program, which sees over 250 participants a week, empowers students by tapping into their natural artistic abilities and encouraging them to create their own masterpieces and channel their emotions and feelings through their work. The result is a collection of incredibly unique and expressive artworks where each piece tells a remarkably personal story of each artist. Typically, at the end of each class session, the work is proudly exhibited in smaller shows at Spirit’s on-site gallery as well as at their respective partner facilities. These shows really make each and every student feel acknowledged, appreciated, and celebrated.

The touring exhibition is a curated collection of the most successful, impactful, and representative work from the year. Spirit of Huntington Art Center is honored to partner with some of the best service organizations on Long Island to bring arts education, therapy, and opportunity to individuals with special needs. Our partners include: AIM Network, Blue Umbrella Experience, Cerebral Palsy Association of Nassau, East End Disability Associates, FREE- Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Halo Network, IGHL Associates, ISS- Independent Support Services, Life’s WORC, Pal-o-Mine Equestrian, Rise Life Services, South Huntington School District, SYJCC-Butler Center, and the Mid-Island YJCC-Adler Center for Special Needs.