In the run up to our performance as part of Creative Minds East Conference, we rehearsed for Origami Atoms at Oval House and Brixton. We also did a tech and dress run at Jerwood Dance House in Ipswich. After the performance we had good feedback from the audience and it was very interesting. One person […]

Interesting article. comments please. “If public galleries really want to be more accessible, they should listen to George Orwell and never use a long word where a short one will do” www.guardian.com/galleries-lets-ditch-the-artspeak-and-artybollocks Join the discussion www.creativemindseast.eventbrite.co.uk

My name is Thompson Hall from ActionSpace.  I was also on the Steering Committee of the first Creative Minds Conference in Brighton in March 2014. Creative Minds is led by learning disabled artists and performers.  We aim to get people talking about learning disabled artists and performers.  We have a Legacy Group which meets every […]

This is a bit of an odd one. We don’t really know why we need our own festival? We think some of our fabulous learning disabled bands and musicians should be getting seen by more people – at festivals like Lattitude, Reading and Glastonbury – we think we need to excite more people with our […]

Does the idea of arts, performance and film by artists with learning disabilities being seen “free” by audiences, lower the expectations of audiences who see our work? There was talk at Creative Minds Bristol on 14th October 2014 that free events means that different audiences “discover” our work – like street performance meaning that passers […]

The Creative Minds South East committee are confused! Why is the work of learning disabled artists nearly always seen as part of an arts venue or galleries education programme,  outreach or community work or even more annoyingly – arts therapy? Any ideas? Thompson Hall from Action Space and Sarah Watson from Oska Bright explain a […]

This film from Creative Minds Community members, Action Space London, tells us about three artists. The quality of their work and their artistic ambition shines through. What do you think? Have a look at this film and tell us what you think: http://www.artplayer.tv/video/906/action-space

We were shocked to read this article in the Guardian yesterday, which reports on how learning disabled couples are struggling to marry, because parts of society – or in this case the local authority involved – don’t believe they have the ability to make decisions for themselves. The Head of Policy at Mencap is quoted […]

This is the last day of Creative Minds talking to Gavin, who is the Director of Farnham Maltings. Today’s Creative Minds Question is: You must see a lot of theatre, dance and art – have you seen any by a learning disabled artist or company recently and if so, what did you think about it? […]

Gavin Stride is the Director of Farnham Maltings, HOUSE, and caravan. He is a well respected theatre maker with 25 years of experience. Today, Creative Minds asked Gavin: At the Creative Minds conference in March, people asked why many arts venues don’t seem to programme learning disabled art. What do you think the challenges might be for […]