Championing imagination, curiosity and experimentation to build a better world

We are an artist-run social enterprise that uses experimental visual art to bring people together, to challenge the status quo and to encourage creative solutions for positive change.

We connect ‘artist changemakers’ with communities encouraging fresh approaches to looking, creative making and learning. Our goal is for the arts to be accessible to everyone. Fostering playfulness, expression and experimentation across the board, we offer:

• Hands-on creative making activities
• Exhibitions and events
• Stories about brave people, ideas and projects
• Active social media showcasing of artwork and projects
• Opportunities for artists to develop new, mutually beneficial ways of connecting with audiences.

The Arts are a fantastic vehicle for positive change. They bring people together, give voice and encourage individual expression. They challenge norms and explore new possibilities. They improve mental health and wellbeing. A great leveller and builder of dreams, they inspire hope and help to create a world more equal and fair.

‘Make it, look at it, share it, talk about it, this ‘magical stuff’ called art can take your mind off things, connect you with others, and help you to stay playful and confident to make positive changes in your life. It can also get you thinking in different ways; you stay open to a life of learning and curiosity, and build purpose into what’s absolutely right for you and the world you want to live in.’   

Arts Lab Founder & Creative Director, S. Downham-Lotto