We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the place now called South Australia, and all First Peoples living and working on this land. We celebrate the history and contemporary creativity of the world’s oldest living culture and pay respect to Elders – past, present and future. We acknowledge Kaurna, Peramangk and Ngadjuri peoples on whose lands our events and activities are imagined, planned and held. This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.

Becoming an ‘Irregular’ Art School

Article
by Dr Jade French

‘Irregular Art School’ is a UK based project centring learning disabled artists. It is led by researcher Dr Jade French at the University of Leeds. It is a practice based research project. Working in partnership with Leeds based disability art studio Pyramid.

At its core, ‘Irregular Art School’ explores ‘Who can be an artist?’

Ella, a member of Next Step Pyramid. Courtesy of Pyramid
Ella, a member of Next Step Pyramid. Courtesy of Pyramid

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‘Irregular Art School’ is a UK based project.

It is about learning-disabled artists.

The Researcher is Dr Jade French from the University of Leeds.

It is a practice-based research project.

practice-based research means the researcher uses creativity.

The project is a partnership with disability art studio Pyramid

‘Irregular Art School’ studies ‘Who can be an artist?’

It looks at exclusion in history.

It looks at systemic barriers in society and the art world.

systemic barriers mean the way things work in organisations that exclude people.

The project looks at new ways to support their art careers.

Collaborating with learning disabled artists to innovate inclusive arts development and education

‘Irregular Art School’ is a UK based project centring learning disabled artists. Led by Researcher Dr Jade French at the University of Leeds. It is a practice based research project. Working in partnership with Leeds based disability art studio Pyramid.

At its core, ‘Irregular Art School’ explores ‘Who can be an artist?’ Confronting historical exclusion and systemic barriers in society and the art world. To innovate and rethink the opportunities available for learning disabled artists to have professional careers.

Read the article here

About this article

Dr Jade French is a Research Fellow based in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies.

With a background in both contemporary art and social care, Jade’s practice-led research broadly examines access and participation within the arts, with a focus on collaborating with learning disabled people to innovate inclusive practices in curating, commissioning and artist development.

The ‘Irregular’ Art Schools project runs from 2021–23. It seeks to innovate professional development opportunities for learning disabled artists through action research in collaboration with supported studio Pyramid, artist-led space Assembly House, and Leeds City Council. It is funded by the AHRC.

‘Becoming an “Irregular” Art School’ is part of the University of Leeds’ World Changers series. You can read their latest essay collection here.