People with intellectual disabilities taking on art world
Georgia Smelling feels at peace as she glazes her latest work. Get to make artwork that I like, being in a safe place, being supportive, seeing my friends and it’s a happy, friendly place, which you haven’t done in a while. This Melbourne studio is run by Arts Project Australia, which supports artists with intellectual disability to develop their practice. Many have received international accolades for their work. The project started in 1974 as a way to showcase work by people with intellectual disability living in institutions. Now celebrating 50 years, the studio sees 150 artists practice each week and it runs a nearby gallery. The artists generate income through selling their work, image licensing and commissions. This isn’t a school or therapy, it’s a space for people to be professional artists. I use a studio as they like and we are here to facilitate. Materials rather than our actually our hands are on the artwork. While a lot has changed over the years, like how artists can now use their NDIS funding to attend, the original goal remains. I want to see our artists represented at the highest levels of contemporary art and having the careers that they want. Lovely to see you. After a decade long relationship with the project, George is regularly contacted for commissions, among them this hallway mural in a private home. And we live with it every day and we love it. Thank you. Changing the art world one brush stroke at a time.