ACCESS PARRISH CELEBRATES 10 YEARS
A decade of making art accessible to visitors of all needs and abilities at the Parrish Art Museum; Spring Fling benefit to be held on April 25 honors the milestone
WATER MILL, NY — March 25, 2026 — The Parrish Art Museum celebrates the 10th anniversary of ACCESS PARRISH, a pioneering initiative dedicated to making art accessible to visitors of all needs and abilities. Founded in 2016, the program supports year-round community members living with a wide range of neurodivergent, physical, and cognitive differences—including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, autism,
and cancer—as well as veterans, seniors, caregivers, and families facing social, economic, or physical barriers to participation.
Through inclusive workshops, tours, and creative programs, ACCESS PARRISH promotes health and wellbeing, builds social connection and belonging, and fosters curiosity, creativity, and lifelong engagement with art.
ACCESS PARRISH is built in close collaboration with local organizations, educators, healthcare providers, and advocacy partners. These partnerships include the Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center, Center for Parkinson’s Disease, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Life Skills groups from Hampton Bays, Southampton, and East Hampton High Schools, The East End Special Players, East End Disability Associates, New Hour for Women and Children–Long Island, and The Flying Point Foundation for Autism.
“ACCESS PARRISH has been a lifeline for many in our Parkinson’s community,” said Sarah Cohen, Administrator for the Center for Parkinson’s Disease at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. “Both the art and dance workshops create opportunity for all to come together in celebration of creativity and artistic expression, but also – perhaps more importantly – in celebration of one another and connection. The ability to gather, dance, create, discuss and engage in the beautiful Parrish Art Museum space elevates the experience and truly makes us all feel important, seen and valued.”
“The Parrish Art Museum has created something truly special through ACCESS PARRISH. Our families consistently share how impactful these programs are—not just for engagement and creativity, but for the sense of belonging they foster. The educators bring a level of empathy and care that makes every participant feel supported and valued,” said Lauren Vlachos, Executive Director and CEO, Alzheimer’s Disease Resource Center.
Over the past decade, ACCESS PARRISH has broadened the Museum’s audience while ensuring that all visitors feel welcome, supported, and engaged. Research conducted through the program has shown that participants experience joy and happiness, feel more confident in their abilities, feel relaxed and restored, build deeper relationships, develop a strong sense of belonging, and find comfort in safe, inclusive, and trusted spaces where creativity and imagination can flourish.
“ACCESS PARRISH has created meaningful connections for many over the past decade,” said Nathan Malak, Education Programs Manager. “It is rewarding to see participants feel welcomed and find a real sense of belonging through creative expression. We are proud to celebrate the community that has grown through this
program.”
The 10th anniversary also provides an opportunity to recognize the visionary supporters, funders, and advocates whose belief in ACCESS PARRISH has made its sustained impact possible and ensured that accessibility remains a core value of the Parrish Art Museum.
To mark the milestone, the Museum’s annual Spring Fling fundraiser will benefit ACCESS PARRISH and the Parrish’s education programs. Click the image below for event information.
Benefitting the Parrish Art Museum’s Education Programs
Saturday, April 25 | 7:30 PM – 11 PM
Tickets: $250 | $200 Members (Individual level and above)
$300 after Thursday, April 23, 2026
Spring Fling is an evening of art, dance, music, and food in support of the Parrish Art Museum’s educational programming. This year’s event celebrates the 10th anniversary of ACCESS PARRISH and honors Bobbie Braun, The Neuwirth Foundation, as the Museum’s inaugural Civic and Community Leader Honoree, recognizing her unwavering commitment to the program since its inception.
The event takes place alongside Regeneration: Long Island’s History of Ecological Art and Care, the first exhibition in the Museum’s year-long series PARRISH USA250: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. Responding to the Declaration of Independence’s recognition of “life” as an inalienable right, Regeneration explores our responsibility to the forms of life that sustain us through works inspired by the East End’s waters, forests, marine life, and native plants.
Also on view during Spring Fling is the Museum’s 73rd annual Student Exhibition, highlighting the next generation of East End artists responding to themes of regeneration and renewal.
Parrish Art Museum’s Spring Fling event would not be possible without the support of, catering by Marcia Selden Catering, design by Arthur Golabek, music curated by Generation Events, performance by Real East End Brass (REEB!), beer by Kidd Squid Brewing Co, Something Different Party Rental, and Fusion Productions.
