Disabled Women Make History (and Art)
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Disability EmpowHer Network and the Toledo Museum of Art is proud to host Disabled Women Make History (and Art), an art show celebrating disabled women!
The opening reception for this show will be on June 20, 2026, and the show will remain on display through July 31, 2026 in celebration of Disability Pride Month!
We invite women* with disabilities to submit their art for consideration to be displayed as part of this unique event. We will select a total of 30 artists for the in-person event, with the possibility of additional artists being selected for a virtual component of the show. Artists selected will be invited to display their work at this event and receive admission to two exclusive workshops to enhance their skills in marketing themselves and their artwork.
At this time, the art show is primarily focused on a tri-state regional audience and resources to support artist travel is limited. Preference will be given to artists currently residing in Ohio, NE Indiana, and SE Michigan. Artists of all ages and skill levels are encouraged to apply.**
*Transgender women, cisgender women, assigned female at birth, and feminine-aligned people.
**One submission per artist, please.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: 11:59pm ET on April 19th, 2026
If you have any questions, please feel free to email event organizers, Katie Shelley and Sophie Poost, at KShelley@toledomuseum.org or sophie@disabilityempowhernetwork.org
Art
Professional Development
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Community
Lois Curtis
Disabled Women Make History (and Art) is more than an art show—it’s a celebration of disability history, community, and creativity. This event honors the legacy of Lois Curtis and Elaine Wilson, two disabled women whose advocacy led to Olmstead v. L.C., the landmark Supreme Court decision that affirmed disabled people’s right to live in the community rather than institutions. Lois, a talented artist, expressed herself through vibrant portraits and paintings, using art as a means of storytelling and self-advocacy. Both she and Elaine deeply valued the power of community, fighting not just for their own freedom but for the rights of all disabled people to live and thrive among their peers. Disabled Women Make History (and Art) continues this legacy, uplifting disabled women and feminine-aligned nonbinary artists, fostering community, and celebrating the power of creativity as a force for change.
Since June 2022, Disability EmpowHer Network in partnership with the Toledo Museum of Art, has presented Disabled Women Make History (and Art), an annual art show featuring the artwork of disabled women. In 2023, the event was expanded to include workshops for the artists the day of the art show to provide additional professional development for the artists covering topics such as public speaking and negotiations.
Elaine Wilson
Andi's Testimony
"Thank you so much for the opportunity to join everyone last week. It truly made my heart and soul so full! Meeting so many amazing people, knowing my art was able to relate to so many others and the input from other artists was great. Truly, thank you. I have a fire and cannot wait to create and share so much of my art with others. "
