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Annual Exhibition and Sale

A Celebration of Art by Artists with Disabilities

Opening November 3, 2013 - January 26, 2014
Visit, view and purchase artwork from The 18th Annual Art Ability Exhibition and Sale at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, 414 Paoli Pike, Malvern, PA 19355 from 8:30 - 5:00 p.m. daily.

To inquire about buying available artwork, email artability@mlhs.org or call 484.596.5607.

The Art Ability Program at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital is a year-round program which serves as a showcase and marketplace for talented artists. The program educates the community about the remarkable abilities of people with disabilities and inspires artists to reach beyond their limitations and explore their own creativity.

The annual, international juried Art Ability exhibition and sale is twelve-weeks in length and features art and fine crafts by artists with physical, cognitive, hearing and visual impairments.

Participating artists express their creativity through painting, photography, sculpture, fiber arts, stained glass, jewelry and fine crafts. Through these creative modes of expression, artists are able to convey their talent, receive recognition for their work, and often also to further progress in recovering from a life-altering illness or injury.

The exhibit is on display from November through January in the corridors of the hospital. The season kicks off with the opening night Preview Reception held at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital. Proceeds of the Art Ability opening receptions help support Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital patient and community programs.

The exhibit is then open free to the public and enjoyed by more than 3,500 individuals annually, including the hospital’s patients, their families and friends, hospital staff and visitors — making it the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of its kind in the nation.

A stringent, two-step jurying process ensures that Art Ability presents highly professional artwork, demonstrating the strength of artistic talent within the disabled community. The first step is led by the Art Ability Curator and includes reviewing the submitted images and choosing the artwork for the exhibition. The second step includes esteemed jurors who are selected based on their expertise and prominence in the fine arts community. They judge the work, selecting the pieces to receive awards in their respective categories.

The planning of the exhibition involves the members of the Art Ability committee and the Hospital board, including members who have been disabled by stroke, polio and brain injury. Feedback from local and national past Art Ability artists is solicited through each stage of the project.