The venture, dubbed Creative Space, is set to be launched by disability support provider, Ability Links, and charity group, Your Angel, next month. It aims to provide an accessible and inclusive creative space for artists of varying abilities to develop their creative skill set.

To celebrate the opening, Creative Space organisers are asking the public to enter their art competition, open until August 11. They are offering two $500 prizes. One for a logo design for Creative Space and the other for an artwork that tells a story about inclusion. Entrants’ artworks will be exhibited in the space for public viewing on the opening day, August 24. 

Ability Links’ April Holt said they hoped the project would embolden people with disabilities who might normally be excluded from community projects because of accessibility issues and social stigma. 

“Through conversations with our participants and community members we realised there is a need for an art space where people can get together and practise and grow their creative skills,” she said.

Creative Space will offer free 2D (painting, sketching and drawing) and 3D (pottery and sculpture) studio time from 10am to 4pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays and a range of TAFE NSW arts courses on Fridays. Visitors can also attend artist-led workshops every other Friday for a small fee.

The project has been a collaborative effort involving several not-for-profits, the council and local artists; including Mission Australia, The Disability Trust, The Benevolent Society, White Waratah Studios, the Wingecarribee Shire Council and local artists Clint McKeown (pictured) and Sally Waterford. 

Creative Space will be located at Kazcare on Kirkham Road, Bowral and classes will commence on August 24.