Est. 2025 Los Angeles
Developmental Disability Artist Needs Support.
Artist-centered support for visibility, exhibition, sales opportunity, and Self Determination Plan pathways that respect the real needs of developmental disability artists and their families.
The Mission
DDANS was established in Los Angeles to support developmental disability artists through active creative practice, public exhibition and sales visibility, and practical planning support connected to SDP budgeting and Spending Plan.
501(c)
IRS-recognized nonprofit structure
2026
First exhibition and contest launch
May 27-30
Shatto Gallery public exhibition
SDP
Planning that supports meaningful activity
"DDANS builds the ecosystem where creativity meets continuity, professional context, and long-term care."
The Philosophy
Empowering artists
Empowering artists
beyond the finished canvas.
Many developmental disability artists need more than a gallery wall. They need planning support, public context, family-inclusive opportunity, and structures that connect art activity to real budgets, scheduling, and long-term visibility. DDANS exists to help hold all of that together.
Los Angeles
501(c)
2026
Expert Jury
Foundational Framework
Dignity, continuity, and vibrant support.
DDANS believes artists deserve a complete ecosystem: room to make work, room to be seen, room to sell, and room to plan for what comes next.
Support active artistic practice
We support ongoing work activity so artists can keep creating with consistency, personal goals, and structure built around each person's pace and needs.
Create exhibition and sales pathways
We help artists move from private creation into public exhibition, presentation, and sales visibility so their work is encountered as serious cultural contribution.
Align creative work with SDP planning
We assist artists and families in thinking through Self Determination Plan budgeting and Spending Plan that can support valuable artist-led activity over time.
Spring 2026 Series
Two linked programs to launch our mission.
In 2026, DDANS introduces its first sponsored artist exhibition and its first art contest, creating both a public stage and a pathway for recognition.
2025
DDANS Foundation
DDANS is founded in Los Angeles and recognized by the IRS as a nonprofit structure supporting developmental disability artists through visibility, exhibition, sales opportunity, and meaningful planning support.
May 26
Contest Submission Day
Artists submit work from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM with artist information, a short bio, and an image of the submitted artwork attached on A4 paper or digital print.
May 27-30
Exhibition Opens
DDANS presents its first sponsored artist exhibition and introduces the artist and family in a professional gallery setting at Shatto Gallery in Los Angeles.
May 30
Awards and Closing
Visitor voting closes at 12:00 PM, the closing party begins at 3:00 PM, artwork pickup starts after 3:30 PM, and awards are presented at 4:00 PM.
Curatorial Spotlight
Centering artwork and story.
Designed for encounter rather than pity, the inaugural exhibition introduces DDANS through a lens of professional excellence, sustained support, and public visibility.
Inaugural Artist Exhibition
On May 27, 2026, DDANS introduces its first sponsored artist exhibition and the artist's family story as part of a broader nonprofit mission. The exhibition continues through May 30, open daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, inviting visitors into a professional gallery context shaped by care, dignity, and visibility.
May 27-30, 2026
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Shatto Gallery, LA
Open Call 2026
Expert review meets public joy.
The first DDANS contest balances professional evaluation with public engagement and welcomes developmental disability artists creating original work to step onto the stage.
Call for original works
Theme is open, but the work must be creative, original, exhibition-ready, and no larger than a standard commercial 30 x 30 inch canvas. All works must be framed and wired on the back so they can be hung safely on the wall.
Deadline: May 26
Drop-off: 10 AM - 5 PM
Submission checklist
- 01Include the artist's name, age, address, regional affiliation, and phone number.
- 02Attach a short artist introduction of about three sentences.
- 03Submit an image of the artwork on A4 paper. A digital print copy is acceptable.
- 04If a work is found to have been submitted to or exhibited by another institution, any prize may be canceled and the award money may need to be returned.
Judging and voting
The score combines professional review with visitor response so that both artistic practice and public engagement matter.
- 60%Evaluation by professionals who are actively engaged in art practice.
- 40%Visitor ballots gathered during the three-day exhibition period.
- RuleVisitors receive three ballots per day, but each artwork may receive only one ballot from the same visitor.
- NoteFamily and friends may visit on multiple days and vote again, but only once per artwork each day.
- CloseVoting ends at 12:00 PM on May 30, 2026. Awards are announced the same day at 4:00 PM.
Awards and recognition
The contest honors excellence while setting clear expectations for pickup and responsibility after the closing event.
1st
$300
2nd
$200
3rd
$100
- WebWinning artists are featured on the foundation website for two months.
- PartyArtists and families are invited to the 3:00 PM closing party.
- PickupArtwork pickup begins after 3:30 PM on May 30, 2026.
- PolicyDDANS does not take responsibility for unclaimed work or long-term storage after pickup time.
Join the Movement
The stage is set for your story.
DDANS is where developmental disability artists are introduced with seriousness, supported with practical planning, and presented in public with care. For current participation details and exhibition updates, use the official DDANS program pages below.
A
Artists
Review contest requirements, prepare framed work, and step into a professional exhibition context built for visibility and respect.
F
Families
Join the exhibition, support artist participation, and help shape sustainable activity plans connected to meaningful creative work.
P
Partners
Follow DDANS as it builds public programs and a long-term support model for developmental disability artists in Los Angeles.