Don't forget to book your hotel for LEAD 2026! The 2026 LEAD® Conference will be offering a specially priced room block for $236/night at the Marriott Philadelphia Downtown, 1201 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA. This is the hotel the conference will take place in as well.
These special rates are only available if booked before 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Visit AccessLEAD.org for direct reservation links!
Did you hear? LEAD 2026 Registration is now OPEN!
The 2026 Leadership Exchange in Arts & Disability Annual Conference is taking place August 11-14, 2026 in Philadelphia, PA.
Learn more or register today at AccessLEAD.org
Hi everyone! 👋 I would love for YOU to be a part of the creative process for this years LEAD Conference! We’re looking for awesome sticker ideas for our brand new LEAD Shop, launching June 1, 2026 digitally, then in@person August 12-14 at the LEAD Conference in Philadelphia.
Head to our LEAD 2026 highlight on our main profile page for a link to the submission form. OR just DM us here if that’s easier!
We ❤️ LEAD!
It's almost that time of year. When summer is near, you know it's time for your favorite arts and disability colleagues to gather under conference room lights to learn, network, support, and encourage each other. We might not sleep in cabins or sing around the campfire (or maybe you do, that's cool), but the relationships we build during the annual LEAD Conference carry with us throughout the year. This is why many of you so lovingly refer to LEAD as Access Summer Camp.
This year we're leaning into that feeling of camaraderie, connection, and fun. We are working on a LEAD Outpost with merchandise and goodies (you can even enter a sticker idea now through May 6!). More opportunities for networking and idea building. More new topics and sessions. Maybe some merit badges to celebrate our successes?
Join us for LEAD 2026 on August 11-14 in downtown Philadelphia, PA! No camping gear required.
Conference registration and the hotel block are now open! Find details and rates at accesslead.org
We are excited to announce the launch of a new LEAD Shop, ahead of this summer’s conference! There will be merchandise related to LEAD and the work being done by this amazing network of people. We know our colleagues are full of brilliant ideas and in the spirit of community-based inclusion, we’re crowd-sourcing ideas!
Among our first products will be a series of funny and topical vinyl stickers. Is there a sticker concept you’ve always thought would be perfect on your laptop, water bottle, or notebook? Submit your ideas to win up to 10 FREE stickers with your idea on it!
Submit your idea(s) by Wednesday, May 6 at /r/3MQWQXY (clickable link in our stories and the LEAD highlight tab!).
The online LEAD Shop will launch June 1. We will also have an in-person pop-up shop at the 2026 LEAD Conference on August 11-14 in Philadelphia, PA. Learn more about LEAD at accesslead.org. Learn more about the sticker idea contest at /r/3MQWQXY
Meet the EYA 2026 Artist: Sophia Apold (Minnesota · Age 19). "IAs a neurodiverse artist, I take a mood driven approach to selecting colors and materials to demonstrate how art can be a form of self-expression and self-regulation. My art offers insight into how creative practices can help individuals connect with their emotions and navigate their experiences. I choose a medium and materials based on how I am feeling. My adaptive approach demonstrates a profound sensitivity to texture, movement, and the tactile feedback each medium offers. My attentiveness to how colors, shapes, and materials interact reveals a thoughtful and intentional process taken with each piece I create. "
Guest at a Party (2024)
acrylic on canvas
48" x 36" x 2"
Read the artist's full biography and description of their art at accessvsa.org/2026eya
And catch the exhibit, We Hold These Truths, in person in Washington, DC now through April 26, 2026 (free and open to the public).
Meet the EYA 2026 Artist: Saya Amend (Ohio · Age 23). "In my work, I explore insecurities derived from my personal physiology. I’m interested in breaking down the body into a man-made object — a piece of production that if it fails, it’s rejected — to reflect what we as a society deem as invaluable. To achieve this, I focus on the medical disruption of the body and how it affects our perception of beauty. I use contrasting textures and materials to get my point across, such as imperfections being represented with recyclable objects that are then adorned with store bought jewels. I make my anthropomorphous sculptures life size or enlarged to confront the audience of their judgement towards the unremarkable body. The need to be accepted and beautiful has plagued my life since I was conscious about my differences. When you believe with your chest that you are a monster, you will do whatever it takes to fit inside the box."
My Skin Doesn’t Fit (2025)
clay, ribbon, beads
13" x 12" x 11"
Read the artist's full biography and description of their art at accessvsa.org/2026eya
And catch the exhibit, We Hold These Truths, in person in Washington, DC now through April 26, 2026 (free and open to the public).
Meet the EYA 2026 Artist: Sarah Hawkins (Virginia · Age 25). "The Underneath is a video piece that follows atypical bodies floating aimlessly in a small pool of water. The forms are drawn with graphite, and display bodies that reflect internal feelings of tension. Dongchen Zhu’s accompanying soundtrack enhances the atmosphere and creates a feeling of unease surrounding the work. As someone that lives life with Ehlers-Danlos, I experience being in a body much differently than many other people. This video piece reflects my experience of discomfort and the feeling of “waiting.” This piece captures the feeling that one is in limbo while trying to participate in everyday life; the feeling of being suspended in liquid. The subject is trapped in a cycle that they both desperately want to be excused from, yet have the urge to fit into. This piece exhibits the emotions and discomfort that are constantly bubbling beneath the surface."
The Underneath (2024)
digital
Read the artist's full biography, description of their art, and a link to watch the video at accessvsa.org/2026eya
And catch the exhibit, We Hold These Truths, in person in Washington, DC now through April 26, 2026 (free and open to the public).
Meet the EYA 2026 Artist: Preston Lowe (Arkansas · Age 18). "Noticing how small differences in what appears the same can allow individuality to emerge.In Flip Side I explored the ways attention can gather around what becomes visible and what remains hidden. Fascinated by an image I came across online, I made my own interpretation of two men wearing suits with their backs turned. This representation reflects how formal clothing influences how a person might seem to others, while also showing how clothing styled for fashion can subvert the expectations it carries. These insights highlight the unexpected roles everyday objects hold in influencing how people see — and are seen by — one another."
Flip Side (2025)
acrylic on canvas
40.50" x 30.87" x 2"
Read the artist's full biography and description of their art at accessvsa.org/2026eya
And catch the exhibit, We Hold These Truths, in person in Washington, DC now through April 26, 2026 (free and open to the public).
Meet the EYA 2026 Artist: Kit Davenport (Maryland · Age 22). "In my work, I explore the relationship between the human body and the Earth — exploring the spiritual connection through universal themes of life and death. Portraiture captures the feeling of grandiosity when standing next to the Earth’s infinite attributes. Using the figure is an intentional choice that allows the rest of the composition to flow with gentle abstraction. This allows me to create a balance of slow curves and sharp edges, that contrast beautifully against the raw umber of the clay. I have always had an intrinsic fascination with human connection that leads me to my creative practice beyond the studio and into the world. While my work is of our material existence, ultimately, I am creating a space to reflect on our humanity. In doing so, I hope to bring forth a conversation about where that connection lies — and with whom."
Breathe (2024)
ceramics
10" x 10" x 1"
Read the artist's full biography and description of their art at accessvsa.org/2026eya
And catch the exhibit, We Hold These Truths, in person in Washington, DC now through April 26, 2026 (free and open to the public).
Meet the EYA 2026 Artist: Kilaine Shelley (Florida · Age 24). "My work contrasts unforgiving ink washes with fragile, memory-like charcoal to communicate my experience with chronic illness and traumatic stress. The drawings and paintings reconcile my past and present to address dissonant relationships with the body and mind, inviting the viewer into private everyday scenes related to my disability that may not otherwise seem medical. Through fragmented layers of charcoal, I explore the anger, grief, and surprising tenderness that can come alongside being sick. In response, I ask the viewer to question and engage with their own relationship with care, illness, power, and pain. "
Double Crossed (Symptoms no. 6) (2024)
charcoal and ink wash on paper
9" x 6.5"
Read the artist's full biography and description of their art at accessvsa.org/2026eya
And catch the exhibit, We Hold These Truths, in person in Washington, DC now through April 26, 2026 (free and open to the public).
Meet the EYA 2026 Artist: Katherine Gilchrist (Pennsylvania · Age 17). "I am mesmerized by the effortless movement of draped fabric, its ability to express everything I feel internally but cannot physically embody. Over the years, each time I outgrew a brace, it felt like shedding a skin. These “shedded skins,” alongside hundreds of old sketches (products of my ADHD), mark the stages of my artistic and personal metamorphosis. They show how each limitation pushed me to develop a stronger creative voice. Ab Aqua Libertas translated means “from water comes freedom.” Rather than hiding my scoliosis brace, the dress is designed to showcase my secret. This was the first time I designed an outfit for my brace, not designed in spite of my brace. "
Ab Aqua Libertas (From Water Comes Freedom) (2025)
fabric, scoliosis brace
50" x 16" x 16"
Read the artist's full biography and description of their art at accessvsa.org/2026eya
And catch the exhibit, We Hold These Truths, in person in Washington, DC now through April 26, 2026 (free and open to the public).
