Project Onward is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the career development of visual artists with mental and developmental disabilities. Through our studio and gallery, located at the Bridgeport Art Center, Project Onward provides professional opportunities to artists who have exceptional abilities but face challenges ranging from autism to mental illness. Project Onward’s mission: • To provide artists with disabilities the opportunity to create their work in a safe, supportive studio environment, with access to work space, materials, and professional guidance; • To connect artists with disabilities with the arts community and the general public, through the professional exhibition and sale of their work, and through public programs designed to foster audience participation; • To inspire change by using art to promote empathy and reduce the stigma of mental illness and developmental disabilities; to improve the self-image of artists through the social and economic value of their work; and to cultivate new audiences in the art market by increasing awareness of, and demand for, artwork created by people with disabilities.