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Registration is open. Closes June 29. Register now.
FUTURES ARTS · SUMMER 2026
Art is powerful.
Come make work with
Disabled artists.
Toronto this summer. Six weeks at 401 Richmond. Closing with an installation at Tangled Art + Disability. Free for Disabled and neurodivergent youth 18 to 30 in the GTHA.
Learn more
FUTURES Arts · Summer 2026

What is FUTURES Arts?

FUTURES Arts is a free, in-person arts program in Toronto. Open to Disabled and neurodivergent youth aged 18 to 30 in the GTHA.

This is where you make art alongside Disability arts communities actively shaping Canadian culture. Six weeks at 401 Richmond making original visual art. Your program starts June 30. It closes with a week-long exhibition at Tangled Art + Disability.

No Zoom calls. No networking pressure. Small group. Led by Disabled and neurodivergent artists who have been where you are.

🎨
Six weeks of making.
You leave with a week-long gallery exhibition at Tangled Art + Disability.
🙅
No explaining yourself.
A small in-person cohort of Disabled and neurodivergent artists. Show up as who you are.
Access is the design.
ASL at every session. The venue is fully wheelchair accessible, with a quiet room, scent-free spaces. You don’t have to ask.
Our approach

Disabled artists are challenging what gets valued in this country. You belong in that conversation.

At Tangled Art + Disability, Disabled artists are making and leading. FUTURES Arts puts you in the room where that work is happening.

You are not here to watch. You are here to create.

No diagnosis required. Come as you are.

Is this for me?

You don't need to call yourself an artist.

The application asks who you are, not what you have made.

No portfolio. No experience threshold. It can live in a sketchbook, a Notes app, or a practice you haven’t started. You still belong.

This cohort is for people who have not shown work publicly before.

“When I presented my activation project at the conference, I had many young women (who were also late-diagnosed) come up to me and share how impactful my art was. Many people even asked if it was for sale, or if they could take a photo.”
Past FUTURES participant
What about access?

Access comes first. Not upon request.

Your access needs are welcome here from day one. We do not wait for you to ask.

Every FUTURES program starts with access built in. This cohort includes ASL interpretation at every session.

At 401 Richmond:
Wheelchair accessible throughout
Quiet room available
Scent-free spaces
Pacing and rest built into every session
Support for communication needs, cognitive access, and fatigue
No masking required. Tell us what you need and we will plan for it.

Questions about access? DM @access.studio.official or email studio@accessnow.ca. We’ll give you a straight answer.

The people mentoring you

Meet the facilitators

Disabled and neurodivergent artists who have spent years in this space. They know it because they live it.
Emily Akerman
she/her · Visual Arts, facilitator
Deaf artist with a Bachelor of Design from OCAD University. Her illustration and writing come from inside Deaf experience. Pursuing a degree in Psychology at TMU toward becoming a certified art therapist.
Tamar Bresge
she/her · Visual Arts, facilitator
Artist, writer, and educator with dual MFAs. Low-vision and low-hearing. Her work uses text, image, and sound to examine how Disability is represented and misrepresented. Spoke about Disability and art-making at TEDxTufts.
What does it look like?

Six weeks in the studio. A week-long exhibition at Tangled Art + Disability.

FUTURES Arts: Visual Arts runs every Tuesday from June 30 to August 4. 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM at 401 Richmond, Toronto.

The cohort is small, so you will know the people in the room. If you miss a session, you pick up where you left off.

The program closes with a week-long exhibition at Tangled Art + Disability. You decide what goes on the wall. The cohort plans the opening reception.

Tamar and Emily, plus Tangled staff and Disabled artist guest speakers, help you prepare. The audience is Disability arts Toronto. They know the work. They want to see yours.

Key details
Dates
June 30 to August 4, 2026
Schedule
Tuesdays, 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Location
401 Richmond St W, Toronto
Cohort
Small group, in person
Cost
Free
Final show
Tangled Art + Disability, opening reception August 2026
Who can apply

Eligibility

Aged 18 to 30
Disabled or neurodivergent
A Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or refugee
Based in the GTHA
Ready to make art this summer, no experience necessary
Self-identification welcome, no diagnosis required.

25 spots. Registration closes June 29.

Funded by the Government of Canada through Canada Service Corps. Free for all participants, no registration or supply fee.

FAQ

Do I need to be an experienced artist to apply?
No. FUTURES Arts is not a portfolio review. Whether you have been making art for years or just starting, you belong here. No portfolio. No experience threshold.
Is there a cost?

No. FUTURES Arts is fully free, thanks to Canada Service Corps. No registration fee, no supply fee. You cover nothing.

Do I need a diagnosis to apply?
No. Self-identification is welcome. No diagnosis required, ever.
What accessibility supports are provided?

Access is built into every part of this program. 401 Richmond is fully wheelchair accessible. We build in pacing, rest, and low-sensory options throughout every session. We support ASL interpretation, communication needs, cognitive access, and fatigue. Tell us what you need and we will plan for it. Email studio@accessnow.ca or DM @access.studio.official.

What if I can’t make it to every session?
You can miss a session and come back. The cohort is small, and you are not lost when you return.
What if programs have let me down before?
We hear that a lot. FUTURES Arts was built by Disabled and neurodivergent artists who have been in exactly those programs. DM us at @access.studio.official before you register if you want to talk it through. We will give you a straight answer.

Free arts program. Toronto. This summer.

Registration is open. Closes June 29.
Not ready to register? DM us first at @access.studio.official. We respond same day.
218-192 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 2C2
FUTURES Arts is funded in part by Canada Service Corps, a national movement that empowers youth aged 12–30 to gain experience and build important skills while giving back to their community. Learn more at Canada.ca/CanadaServiceCorps
© 2026 AccessNow. All rights reserved. @access.studio.official