Access to Art

Access to Art brings together University of Brighton art students with artists with learning difficulties.

Access to Art

Access to Art started as an integrated Further Education based (pre-foundation) art course funded by a grant awarded by the Arts Council South East. The course involved University of Brighton art students as art advocates for artists with learning disabilities, allowing the artists to develop their artistic skills, access equipment and integrate into the mainstream arts course at Sussex Downs College.

University students continue to work with artists with learning difficulties as part of their extension studies programme.

Artists with learning disabilities are particularly marginalised in terms of accessing education and developing their art practice. Our experience to date has demonstrated that this is not due to lack of talent but of opportunity.

A2a Rockets Initiative

A2a Rockets are based at the Phoenix Arts Association, a mainstream community artist studio with many other practicing artists. This partnership allowed the artists with learning difficulties to become more involved in the arts world and gives the Phoenix artists the opportunity to collaborate and learn from the a2a Rockets. The a2a Rockets were able to access university resources with support and advice and help from art students who, in turn, were provided with a progression route into the world of Art.

For more information have a look at the Rockets website.

Access to Art in Hastings

This project addressed the exclusion from education of artists with learning disabilities in Hastings. The project used the Access to Art model developed at the University of Brighton to link university art students with artists with learning disabilities and to develop an arts course in a new location. The project also aimed to ensure that the course was established in a manner that could be sustained beyond the initial BSCKE funding.

Alice Fox, who developed and leads the Access to Art course and is a Research Fellow in the School of Arts and Communication, worked with Art Works (a visual arts voluntary organisation that works with artists with learning disabilities) and Hastings College of Arts and Technology on the project. The partners worked together to develop a curriculum, sustainable funding and partnership arrangements.

Degrees of Separation

Degrees of Separation is a high-quality short documentary film by Alice Fox that introduces the Access to Art project. It showcases the artists and their work and includes interviews with the founders of the course and Angela Flowers from Flowers Central Gallery, London.

The film asks the questions: How can we enable these skilled artists to access Higher Education, particularly in the light of new legislation (Special Education Needs Disability Act)? What are their ambitions and realistically, what does the future hold?

Alice Fox, course leader and film maker says “The film was designed as a platform for the students with learning disabilities to express their ideas, opinions and artistic ambitions. It also poses the question, ‘How can we include these students in mainstream higher arts education?’ The film also introduces the Access to Art course and its inclusive way of working.”

The film was launched on 11th December 2003 at Cinematheque, Brighton Media Centre and has since been shown at selected conferences and events.

If you would like to receive a copy of the DVD, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Project partners

• Sussex Downs College
• Carousel - an arts based voluntary organisation located in Brighton and working with people who have learning disabilities.  
• School of Arts and Media, University of Brighton

Project Reports

A2A Rockets interim report (July 2006)

Rockets interim report (accessible report) (July 2006) 

A2A Hastings evaluation report

Access to Art evaluation report (Oct 2004)