Arts for Social Change
Welcome to the Arts Disability Network
Arts Disability Network is a growing community for disabled adult artists and artists with chronic health conditions. The Network offers free support with growing an arts career, accessing funding, and navigating an often inaccessible sector through regular online workshops and training and a resource library. This is alongside community building and peer support, room to meet, share experiences, and build creative collaborations. We showcase our members through Artist of the Month which is a public-facing online gallery space.
The project is led by disabled artists, and is part of the Intercultural Roots eco-system. We’re informed by an online consultation and keen to continue to develop according to the needs of the community, so please get in touch with myra@interculturalroots.org or Contact Us (opens in a new tab) if you have suggestions, questions or ideas.
Community Spotlight
Artist of the Month
Each month we showcase the incredible talent within our community through our public-facing online gallery space.
Would you like to be considered for Artist of the Month? Then please fill out this form (opens in a new tab).
Image Description
A beautiful square of lace with scalloped edges. The lace has at the top two rabbits rear up front paws touching. Undearneath that are two lines of text "Trans Crip Love Feels Like Home". Bellow that is a house and a dove either side of it. There are clusters of hearts and stars dotted around the rest of the space.
Finn Dobson
Poet & Visual ArtistFinn is a poet and visual artist based in Leeds. They enjoy using a mixture of methods and mediums (with a focus on textiles), including inherited, found, and ‘waste’ materials. Their work addresses themes of queer disabled embodiment, marginalisation and solidarity, whilst noticing the nuances and interconnectedness of experiences. They are interested in the stories we tell about ourselves and the world around us, and what this reflects about our place within wider systems. They work on crip time, allowing space for ideas, mediums and methods to cross-pollinate, and for their bodymind to germinate at its own pace.
About 'Home'
Their piece ‘Home’ is a beautiful lace work featuring the words “Trans Crip Love Feels Like Home”, alongside imagery of rabbits, a house, doves, hearts and stars.
Our Team
The Arts Disability Network is supported by a core organisational team committed to transparency and accessible working practices.
All of our team work on a part time basis
Responses may take a few days. Urgent matters will be prioritised and you will get a reply.
Myra
Checks in throughout the week
Research
Our Impact
Rigorous evaluation is essential to our work. We continually gather insights to measure our impact, understand the needs of our community, and secure future support for our accessible spaces. We develop in collaboration with our members, drawing on their expertise.
"Lovely to be in a space where other people get what it is like to be disabled and I don't feel like I'm constantly masking… or apologising for myself."
"Allowed me to consider access needs I may not have thought of on my own, as well as boosting confidence in applying for funding."
Comprehensive Findings
Read the full methodology, data analysis, and long-term recommendations.
Download Full Report (opens in a new tab)Executive Summary
A quick overview of our key achievements and primary areas of impact.
Read Summary (opens in a new tab)Steering Group
The Arts Disability Network is guided by a dedicated steering group.
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Nu McAdam
Artist, ADN Initial Team Member
Partners
Our Funders
We are incredibly grateful for the generous support of our funding partners who make the Arts Disability Network possible and ensure we can continue to grow.
Lloyds Bank Foundation
Arts Disability Network is currently funded by Lloyds Banking Foundation, from 2025 to 2028. Three-year unrestricted funding will sustain a fast-growing community of over 250 Disabled and chronically ill artists, following a 100% recommendation rate from members in year one.
The National Lottery
We are grateful to our previous funders, the National Lottery players' and The National Lottery Community Fund for the initial ‘Awards for All’ funding that has enabled the Arts Disability Network to be supported May 2024 - April 2025.
Adobe Community Fund
We are also very grateful to the Adobe Community Fund supported by the London Community Foundation who have further funded the Arts Disability network from October 2024 for two years.
Support Our Programme
Providing accessible programming and ensuring our artists are compensated fairly requires ongoing support. Whether you make a one-off donation, become a regular benefactor, or consider legacy giving, your contribution makes this network possible. Please contact us (opens in a new tab) if you would like to discuss making any other form of donation.
Donate Now (opens in a new tab)Looking to get involved?
Are you a disabled adult artist or artist with a chronic health condition? Join our community today.
Join the Network (opens in a new tab)