Image: Photo by Bayley Arts

Talented artists are being discovered at a new arts centre that welcomes people of all abilities.

Adults with an intellectual disability and natural artistic talent have been supported to shine at an inclusive arts centre in Melbourne.

Bayley Arts by Bayley House is an 18-month old, state-of-the-art inclusive arts space, featuring six art studios and a gallery, that welcomes people of all abilities to engage with art as a hobby, therapy or career.

The private and community art programs available at the centre – from photography to ceramics and fine art to filmmaking – provides people who would otherwise not have had the chance to develop their artistic talent with opportunities to bloom. According to Senior Program Manager at Bayley Arts, Tessa Hens, 150 artists access their programs every week.

“Art can be really fulfilling. It can help you to explore your identity and experience a sense of social connection.”

“Artists with disability, particularly those with an intellectual disability, are underrepresented in the arts industry,” says Hens.

“So we have provided people living with an intellectual disability with a platform to develop their artistic work and be part of the art community. In doing this, we’ve effectively discovered talent. The people who come here feel encouraged to be themselves and create incredible works of art.”

Tessa recalls how Jane*, a woman who lives with an intellectual disability, was recently supported to discover untapped artistic skills. “Some of the conditions she lives with means that transitioning to a new activity was challenging for her,” Tessa explains. “She would take about 30 minutes to feel okay to come into a building and settle into a program.

“When Jane* started doing our art programs, we found that the time she needed to settle reduced markedly. She became very absorbed in art and adopted a sensory-driven approach to her work.”

Soon enough, staff saw that Jane* had a real talent for abstract mark-making. “If we didn’t have this supportive space, her artistic gift may never have been discovered.”

Tessa recalls how another individual, Stephanie* felt empowered to develop dry-point etching skills after she demonstrated talent in the area of professional printing. Stephanie* has since received mentoring and has gone on to support other budding artists to learn new skills.

The NDIS helps to cover essential supports for Bayley Arts, but it does not cover the full cost of the many transformative programs offered. Contributions by donors like the Spencer Gibson Foundation, managed by Equity Trustees, enable Bayley Arts to be innovative and go the extra mile to support its artists.

For example, Bayley Arts has been able to assist artists to exhibit their work locally or further afield and gain greater exposure. Recently, Bayley Arts also hosted a curated exhibition called ‘Make Your Mark’ to professionally showcase the work of its artists. “A lot of the artists we're supporting have not had opportunities to go to university to study fine arts or exhibit their work because there have been a lot of barriers in their way. So we are creating more avenues for people who have talent and serious aspirations to go further with their art.”

Whether the artists at Bayley House have pursued art for leisure, therapeutic or professional purposes, the advantages have been far-reaching.

“Art can help an individual to explore their identity. The work of our artists also provides everyone in the community with an insight into their life experiences.

“Through their art, everyone can better understand how they see the world. I believe it’s really important for us to share that.”