Express yourself!

Naomi Dainty

Whether you consider yourself an artist or not, creativity plays a part in everyone’s lives. It could be experimenting with recipes, decorating your home or designing your garden, or it might be creating pictures, sculptures, or stitchwork.

We have been working with Outside In, a charity which supports artists who face significant barriers to the art world. These barriers include health, disability, social circumstance and isolation. In doing so, the organisation works to showcase the wealth of talent in our communities as well as making the art world itself a fairer and more inspiring place.

The nature of Outside In’s work means that accessibility is at the forefront of what it offers. This takes many forms but includes visual descriptions and BSL interpretation of all artworks in exhibitions. Tailored support is also a priority and the team offer one-to-one sessions to ensure every artist can make the most of any opportunity.

Artist and ambassador Clarke Reynolds says art is ‘my life’.“From the age of 6, all I ever wanted to be is an artist. This coincided with my sight loss in one eye. I studied at a higher level getting a job in the creative industry when I started to lose my sight completely but I never felt down as I’ve always had art in my life and I wasn’t going to let sight loss get in the way of me being a professional artist.

“The support I have had in my journey from Outside In has given me the outlet to accomplish my ambition by showing that disability art is not just a hobby, it’s my career, he explains. “I want to show mainstream art establishments that my art has a place in society no matter my disability, importantly I’m an artist that just happens to be blind!”

How Outside In can help?

Support to create an online gallery to showcase your work
Courses to develop your skills
Help submitting work to opportunities
Take part in exhibitions
Feel part of a community
Roles such as ambassador
Events to get inspired

To talk to someone about Outside In please call Hannah Whitlock on 01903 898171 or email [email protected]. Virtual meetings with BSL can be arranged. You can visit their website here.

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