A Stage for Every Voice: Arts & Disability Festival Marks 50 Years in Orange County

Annie Young
10 hours ago
4 min read

Highlighting what artists with disabilities can do, the festival returns to Santa Ana’s MainPlace Mall with performances, workshops and community connection.

StraightUp Abilities, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that provides inclusive dance opportunities for individuals with disabilities, performs at the Orange County Arts & Disability Festival in 2025. Photo courtesy of OCDE and Orange County Arts & Disability

Taylor Cox fell in love with the sound of the piano at age 4, when she started lessons. Piano didn’t come easily to her, and she struggled to learn to read music in Braille. Still, she stuck with it and continues to perform today as a college student pursuing her bachelor’s in music therapy.

Cox’s next performance will bring her back to where she began. She will take the stage at the 50th annual Orange County Arts & Disability Festival, an event that first gave her the stage as a young performer and continues to create space for artists of all abilities to be seen and heard.

Blind pianist Taylor Cox performs at the Orange County Arts & Disability Festival. Photo courtesy of OCDE and Orange County Arts & Disability

This year’s festival, themed “Shine On,” will take place on Saturday, April 25 at MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana on the lower level of Macy’s Court. The festival is free and open to the public. Opening ceremonies begin at 11 a.m. and will be emceed by Dani Bowman from the Emmy Award–winning Netflix series “Love on the Spectrum,” followed by performances and hands-on arts workshops from noon to 4 p.m.

When she plays, Cox approaches each piece like a story — thinking about how it feels and what makes it special. She plays Beethoven, Bach and Brahms, and if you ask her what her favorite piece is, she’ll joke, “It’s whatever I’m learning this semester.”

The Orange County Arts & Disability Festival began in 1976 through a grant to support students with disabilities in the arts through the Orange County Department of Education. Although the model and network have shifted over time, OCDE has continued to host the annual festival. After being held at various locations throughout the county, the festival has called MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana home for the past 38 years.

The woman behind the festival is Marleena Barber, an arts and disability consultant for the Orange County Department of Education. She supports teachers in building inclusive arts classrooms, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to experience and enjoy the arts. Barber also hosts the OC Arts and Special Education Teacher Network through OCDE, which ties into the festival — her largest project of the year. Her work helps bring together students, families, educators and community organizations to celebrate the arts and disability community.

PHOTO 1: Orange County students display artwork at the Orange County Arts & Disability Festival at MainPlace Mall. PHOTO 2: The crowd gathers as performers with disabilities share their talent at the MainPlace Mall, Macy’s lower court. Photos courtesy of OCDE and Orange County Arts & Disability

The festival’s mission is to provide artists with disabilities an opportunity to share their talents, educate the community about disability and raise awareness of what individuals with disabilities can do. “It is thrilling to watch students discover their talents and thrive in the arts,” Barber said.

Accessibility is built into the event, with American Sign Language interpreters for performances and an accessibility table offering noise-canceling headphones, fidget items and earplugs to support a more sensory-friendly experience.

Throughout the day, attendees can explore performances, hands-on art activities and a community resource fair featuring more than 20 organizations, including groups like OC Deaf, the Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center and Segerstrom Center for the Arts. An art exhibit in Center Court will feature nearly 1,000 pieces of work from students across Orange County, as well as artwork by adults with disabilities.

Marleena Barber is with Dani Bowman, from Netflix’s “Love on the Spectrum U.S.,” who is returning to host this year’s Orange County Arts & Disability Festival. Photo courtesy of OCDE and Orange County Arts & Disability

The festival has also partnered with Gifted Back and Galeria of Imagination to offer a hands-on workshop led by blind artisan Jennifer Finlan. Participants can create a rose from air-dry clay during one of two sessions at noon or 2 p.m.

Each year, performers look forward to sharing their talent with the community. As Cox says, “(The audience) can expect a lot of heart from the performers because we all love what we do and feel blessed to do it. And your expectations will be blown, because people don’t expect us to do the things we can do.”

For Cox, the festival holds personal meaning — it was her first recital stage, and she has been part of its growth over the years. She appreciates that it gives performers a chance to be heard and to share their talents with a wider audience.

Disability is often seen as a deficit. Families are frequently told what their children cannot do. This festival highlights what they can do. It creates a space where individuals with disabilities can express themselves, build confidence and find belonging through the arts.