Arts Project Australia, the oldest professional arts organisation that supports artists with intellectual disabilities in the country, has a new exhibition program planned for 2020. Arts Project Australia, an independent not-for-profit, was founded in 1974 by Myra Higendorf, who has a daughter with a profound intellectual disability.
“Arts Project Australia set out to be a national and world leader in the representation, support, promotion and advocacy of artists with intellectual disability in the contemporary art sector. Other small and medium-sized professional models (often termed ‘supported studios’) have emerged in most states across Australia, including Studio A in Sydney, Tutti Arts in Adelaide and DADAA in Fremantle,” curator and gallery manager Sim Luttin told F2L.
The organisation actively seeks national and international opportunities for artists in Australia and worldwide.
“We do this through our online profile, our footprint across our website, social media and enews, as well as within partnerships with leading best-practice organisations such as the National Gallery of Victoria, Public Galleries Association of Victoria and West Space, amongst others.
“We are very active in making meaningful connections with other Australian and international artists, curators, directors and collectors. Essentially, Arts Project Australia acts as a social enterprise that provides artists with a supportive and aspirational place to work, while we represent their creative practice and broker opportunities worldwide,” Luttin said.
In 2018, in recognition of the work Arts Project Australia does across the organisation, it earned an Excellence in Employment Outcomes Award from the Victorian Disability Awards for its career pathway offerings for artists.
Although it is an independent organisation that owns its building, Luttin said that aside from maintenance, it still faces a number of challenges.
“With 150 artists in the studio, a major challenge is the management and administration of an NDIS scheme that supports the artists to work at Arts Project Australia. We are heavily reliant on NDIS funding for our existence, so ensuring our artists get the best funding and plans in place is key to us being able to offer exceptional services to artists.”
The organisation participates in solo/group shows, art fairs and art prizes nationally and internationally, and in the future will continue to support its artists to participate in residencies, panels and creative development programs.
Arts Project Australia currently has a number of major projects ‘on the boil’. It is heading into its second year of its first off-site Traineeship Program, where two Arts Project artists participate in a fully paid 12-month traineeship at Leonard Joel Auction House, a long-time supporter. Trainees are supported by Interact Australia, which mentors the artists.
The organisation has also partnered with Melbourne-based curator and artist Catherine Bell, along with the Limb Family Foundation, NETS Victoria and the Australia Council for the Arts to tour the group exhibition FEM-aFFINITY nationally. The exhibition features work by Arts Project and invited Australian female artists.
In another major project, Luttin told F2L Arts Project Australia will represent four artists at the prestigious Melbourne Art Fair in June 2020.
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