Studio A is NSW’s only supported studio for professional artists with intellectual disability. The enterprise tackles barriers that artists living with intellectual disability face in accessing conventional education and professional development pathways needed to be successful and renowned visual artists. Studio A provides a powerful sense of identity and self worth to our artists through fostering and promoting their genuine artistic skill and passion.
Through Studio A, our artists are exhibiting and selling their work, receiving commissions for new work and even licensing their intellectual property. Four Studio A artists were finalists in Australia’s major portrait prize The Archibald in 2022. The artists win national awards, deliver major public art projects and feature in TEDxSydney and ABC documentaries. Studio A artist’s creative work is commissioned and collected by major cultural institutions including the National Gallery of Australia, Artbank, Australian National Maritime Museum and the Art Gallery of NSW. We partner with universities including UNSW & UTS, collaborate with leading designers including Mud Australia & Romance Was Born and are commissioned by corporations such as Westpac and Lendlease.
We bring life, colour and energy to the urban centre along with a unique way to connect diverse communities through creativity. In 2021 Studio A created over 3,000 sq metres of public art in high profile sites across Sydney, seen by over 250,000 people.
Pictured: Mud Australia Founder and Creative Director Shelley Simpson with Studio A artist and Archibald in 2022 finalist, Thom Roberts.