Project Number: NLPG-00613147 | Applicant: Lisa Slominski | February 2023

EXTRA INFORMATION IN SUPPORT OF APPLICATION

WHAT IS A SUPPORTED STUDIO/DISABILITY ARTS STUDIO?

A supported studio is a creative environment for individuals with specific health or social needs that encourages & supports the different art practices of artists. Supported studios facilitate professional development & career-building opportunities for artists — individually, as a group or collective.

Supported studios provide technical artistic support, promote artists in the marketplace & within galleries, & develop networks & audiences outside of health & social care settings. Supported studios share a commitment to producing & presenting work of high artistic quality. Many examples of supported studios are Arts Council England NPO orgs such as ActionSpace & Project Art Works.

WHAT IS A PEER/PEER COLLABORATION?

Art et al’s Peer/Peer Collaborations pair a disabled artist working from a supported studio, with a non-disabled peer working with similar materials, processes or concepts. Like a digital residency, the artists are paired for a period of 3 months to connect over Zoom, email, and/or WhatsApp (communicating in whichever way is best). The outcomes result in any form, so new individual or collaborative works may be created. Regardless, all new works stem from the digital conversations & connections. These outcomes & voices of the artists sharing more about their work & collaboration feature on a dedicated Peer/Peer project page on our website.

Peer/Peer project pages are made accessible through a site-wide Accessibility Widget, text-to-audio recordings, & a link to Easy Read PDFs (a simplified and short explanation pairing text and image). An important part of each collaboration is the role of a support worker/facilitator for the disabled artist involved. Many disabled artists would not be able to be involved without this support, including sending emails, accessing Zoom, buying new materials, etc. Additionally, Art et al always have a co-lead dedicated to collaboration on each Zoom for safeguarding. This co-lead also ensures timelines are being kept, & that all involved are happy throughout the collaboration.

WHAT WILL THE FOCUS OF THE LONDON EXHIBITION BE?

The London exhibition hosted by the Royal Society of Sculptors (RSS) will celebrate the themes of collaboration & connection by featuring the outcomes of the Peer/Peer Collaborations. The works created by 2 disabled artists and 2 members of RSS will be installed in a professional & thoughtful manner. To support the ethos of Art et al’s Peer/Peer work, the installation will include quotes (presented in vinyl lettering) by the artists to allow their direct voices to be heard, as well as the presentation of drawings or studies made during the collaboration to illustrate the process.

WHAT WILL THE WORKSHOPS BE, WHO WILL LEAD THEM, AND WHO ARE THEY FOR?

Art et al X RSS programming will include 4 in-person workshops held at RSS during the London exhibition. These workshops will be led by the local disabled artists. Art et al will co-produce the structure of a creative workshop with the disabled artist to engage diverse audiences inspiring them to creatively respond to the exhibition.

2-weekend workshops will be aimed at participants of all ages, particularly encouraging family & young people to participate. The other 2 workshops will be geared towards artists from local supported studio to participate – to include travel costs for that group to attend the space. These events provide professional development for disabled artists in delivering workshops, experience working with a diverse audience & the opportunity to present to his/her peers.