KMAdotcom

What KMAdotcom did

KMAdotcom is an artist studio based in Midlothian (Mayfield). It provided a supported and safe creative studio for 12 artists with learning disability (6 artists in two workshops a week for 36 weeks of the year, 9am to 2pm).

Our artists joined KMAdotcom through referrals from adult health and social care and parent carer referrals. They were invited to join the studio for their artistic skills and interests but especially if they had very little else going on in their week. This meant we could target families with little or no respite.

This provided a break from caring for 21 unpaid carers (9am – 2pm for 36 weeks a year, 180 hours per carer).

This funding provided high quality art materials and expert creative guidance from highly experienced contemporary artists. The studio operates on Mondays and Fridays where a sessional artist and volunteer artist support 6 learning disabled artists in a variety of disciplines (painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics and textiles).

We organised exhibitions and learning disabled artist ‘residencies’ in contemporary galleries and community venues which can be seen on www.kmadotcom.art

Leanne Ross' work has just joined a parliament permanent collection when Westminster representatives purchased her work through Frieze London. She also showed in Scotland's largest contemporary art festival, GI. Her shout out posters were commissioned by Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Trust staff ‘Rest and Recover’ hubs for frontline NHS supporting the pandemic.

We launched a collection of textiles, ceramics and souvenirs commissioned by the Collective Gallery in December 2020. This contemporary art gallery on Calton Hill wanted to involve work made by KMAdotcom artists as part of their retail shopping area 'Collective Matter' We were invited onto BBC Scotland Janice Forsyth show to talk about the work for Equalities Week.

KMAdotcom artist and wordsmith Marc Smith published a magazine including content from Tate Curator Linsey Young. He joined Konch poetry podcast who placed Marc’s work amid the likes of Margaret Attwood and Hugh Macdiarmid.

Sharon's disco T-shirts were commissioned by the V&A Dundee.

What Artlink Edinburgh and Lothians has learned

We have learned that anything is possible. We feel we've achieved more than any other year in terms of close knit working with families and carers.
We have targeted the families who were shielding and encouraged involvement with people who have no respite.

We have developed partnerships with local and national art collectors, museums and contemporary art outlets. We feel we have supported families with disability to shine, excel and showcase their natural talents, reaching their potential despite all the challenges of the pandemic.

How Artlink Edinburgh and Lothians has benefitted from the funding

There is no other fund like Creative Breaks that focuses so clearly on what families need. It's a creative fund, full of possibility to take the chance on new activity and ideas. We have never had so many opportunities for adults with learning disability to network with Scotland, and the UK's creative community. We have shown that the skills of artists with disability belong equally and wholeheartedly to national creative and cultural production. This work has strengthened Artlink's reputation as a loudspeaker for diversity within the national cultural sector.