Limitless: The Power of Art & Advocacy
Creative Growth, Creativity Explored, and Nurturing Independence through Artistic Development (NIAD) were all founded by a husband-and-wife duo several decades ago. According to critics, “the Katzes viewed art-making as a pathway not only to personal fulfillment for disabled people, but also to their integration into a society that valued their work.” From a garage in Berkeley to three fully autonomous locations across the bay area, the three nonprofits continue to break the mold.
The Katz organizations have grown into three sisters entrusted with championing the rights and creative expression of artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Now all three have pulled together work from 65 artists in a new show, now on display at Bedford Gallery through June 22, 2025. Limitless: Celebrating Artists with Disabilities, is self-described as the “most comprehensive survey of the three institutions to date.”
At the exhibition, you can find artwork by people like Creative Growth artist Monica Valentine, “whose practice centers on her ability to feel the color of an object by its temperature since she has been blind since birth and experiences synesthesia to create vibrant geometric sculptures.” Or Dorian Reid, who practices at NIAD and “infuses her work with personal histories and issues surrounding social justice, civil rights, and animal welfare.”
But not only are the orgs combining forces to display art. All three sister organizations (Creative Growth, Creativity Explored, and NIAD) have also called for their audience to advocate against cuts to Medicaid. According to the organizers, “We believe in the power of art, community, and advocacy. As sister organizations that support artists with disabilities, we know firsthand how vital Medicaid is in ensuring access to essential services, healthcare, and long-term support. But today, Medicaid is under threat, and we must take action to protect it.” These cuts directly impact the artists they work with and likely many of the artists in the show.
Medicaid serves a variety of people, including many disabled artists. Did you know that 9.8% of the Bay Area’s population has a disability? If this feels abstract, it might be time to plan a visit to the exhibition so that you can get to know the names, faces, and stories of these neighbors.
And while you enjoy the artwork, consider this statement from the organizers:
“We know that cutting Medicaid funding would disproportionately impact people with disabilities, and jeopardize these life-sustaining supports our artists depend on. The fight to save Medicaid is about more than just policy—it’s about protecting people, ensuring access to essential services, and preserving the right to live, age, and work with dignity. Together, we can block these harmful cuts and build a future where everyone gets the care they deserve.”
Art is undoubtedly the primary vehicle of not only self-expression but advocacy. It enables us to process our emotions, identify issues we’re having, and work through healing. Art helps us understand not only ourselves, but the world around us. It’s why arts programming for disabled people is critical.
Art and advocacy are deeply intertwined. You can’t have one without the other. It’s why you should check out artwork made by the hands of people who are fighting for rights alongside you. Seeing their art and learning about how they experience the world can increase your sense of empathy and help you grow, too.
Globally, art like what’s on display at Limitless not only teaches its audience but invites the audience to join in. A 2021 exhibit in Frankfurt had a work titled The only thing I like about stairs is that they can be used as a place to sit in a pinch. Critics said it “calls attention to a problem while solving it, and simultaneously invites viewers to participate in a protest—one challenging the notion that resistance always takes the form of fist raising or marching in the streets rather than, say, sitting in repose.” In the same way, the art at Limitless challenges the audience to rethink solidarity.
Feeling stressed about the shitshow world we live in? Consider attending the freestyle art workshop with Dinah Shapiro on May 17. Just want to drop by? You can do that, too! But even if you don’t make it out to Walnut Creek for the exhibition, which runs through June 22, consider the Katz organizations’ call to action. You can visit Indivisiblesf.org/call-your-reps to take the next step.
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