We run an artist practice group called the Figment Arts Studio. The studio is a group of learning disabled, autistic and neurodivergent adults supported by Artistic Director David Parker and Producer Clare Sheppeard.
The studio artists create new work for exhibition and have also developed their own skills as curators of other people's work.
A Room Of Our Own was an exhibition and ‘Open Studio’ where we invite the public to join us in creating large-scale artworks, which in turn become part of the exhibition. The project is led by the Figment Arts Studio group of around 8 learning disabled, autistic and neurodivergent artists. Normally we work out of Laurence’s Art Studio in Hove, but for this project we wanted to open up our practice and share this with members of the public.
Thank you so much for this experience. I really enjoyed the amount of freedom we were given and everyone was really friendly.
We welcomed 629 visitors to our open studio
86 participants helped us make our big group paintings
We will continue our artist development programme with our core group, but we’d really like to take this model out to other locations and communities. Some people find it easier to talk shoulder-to-shoulder rather than face-to-face. I feel that there are real benefits that come from working in this way in terms of relaxation and stress relief and also simple things like conversation and collaboration within friendship/family groups and also with people you may just have met.
Great idea and such beautiful results. Art really is for everyone through projects like this.
Figment Arts provides space, materials and support time to enable artists to develop and create new work, access commissions and other opportunities.
Some of the artists have work for sale in the shop.
Have a look at some original art works, T-shirts, postcards, comic books and other original artist-made products.
The profits from the shop go directly into supporting the Figment Arts Studio project, so you'll be supporting our work as well as picking up some original art work if you find something you like.
We have worked in partnership with Artist Open Houses in Brighton and Art Studio Online in Shrewsbury. We support our artists to have gallery profiles on Outside In.
If you are interested in joining the group, please contact us here.
Current Studio Artists
We have been working together as a group since May 2022 at Lawrence's Art Studio.
The group curated and presented 4 exhbitions of new and pre-existing work, with Brighton Artists Open Houses, Colonnade House and Neighbourhood Store.
Watch the videos to find out more about the artists.
We have produced a project report which covers the period May to September 2022.
We're all really proud of what we have achieved this year and hope to continue building and growing this group.
Read the report here.
Thank you to our funders and supporters
Figment Arts is a Community Interest Company registered in England
Company number: 06364816
104 West Way, Lancing, BN15 8NB.
