CARExDESIGN 2026 features tours, exhibitions, community build events, art exhibitions and other programming by, with, for and about people with disabilities. Hosted at two non-profit spaces that are part of NYC’s network of radical care for the disabled community - The Adaptive Design Association in the Garment District and Positive Exposure in the Financial District, are active spaces of change for the ‘better living of all’.

Adaptive Design Association (ADA) reimagines everyday tools with care and creativity—crafting personalized adaptive furniture, utensils, tools and equipment for disabled people of all ages. Each piece is made in-house and delivered with the intention of removing barriers to access, whether financial, logistical, or systemic, so that participation is not limited by circumstance. Every item is built in collaboration with clients, caregivers, educators, and therapists to meet needs often unmet by mass-produced solutions—or as immediate, creative responses when devices are unavailable, delayed, or denied by insurance. For children with disabilities, timely intervention dramatically shapes outcomes in mobility, communication, cognition, and social-emotional growth.  ADA serves all ages and disabilities with 70% of requests for children under 10 years old, with the highest reported disabilities being: Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Genetic Disorders, and Visual Impairments. Join us in celebrating Adaptive Design’s 25th birthday! Come to one (or both!) of ADA’s Special Edition Volunteer Build Nights at 313 West 36th Street - May 14th and May 21st. Tour the workshop, meet the fabricators, and help build inclusive design interventions that reflect creativity, agency, and the richness of lived experience. 

Positive Exposure (PE) was launched in 1998 in a LIFE Magazine cover story, featuring PE Founder, Rick Guidotti’s photographic essay of people with albinism and powerful quotes addressing stigma, discrimination, prejudice, hatred, and exclusion because of physical differences. Visit Positive Exposure’s beautiful galleries spanning the entire 4th floor of the AHRC building at 83 Maiden Lane, to see The Neurodiverse City, and ART 75 - NYC’s District 75’s student art exhibition. D75 provides highly specialized instructional support for students with significant challenges, such as: Autism Spectrum Disorders, significant cognitive delays, emotional disabilities, sensory impairments and multiple disabilities.

Full details on the CARExDESIGN page at www.studiophoria.com. RSVP for special events through the Eventbrite listings is strongly encouraged but not mandatory.