About the project

As a part of DAiSY FEST, DAiSY hired three emerging curators and three emerging artist facilitators, all of whom identify as either D/deaf, Disabled or Neurodivergent.

The emerging curators produced the exhibition ‘Connections’ featuring the work of 17 artists from the DAiSY Chain Network. Vanessa Cumper was new to curating but far from new to art, painting for as long as she can remember. As an alumni of this year’s Step Up Curating Exhibitions training, she brought fresh eyes and excitement to her first major curatorial project. Marcele Silvina a journalist, AuDHD artist and curator who communicates through shapes and colours. Her work has travelled from internationally from England to New York. Molly Wickett is an autistic artist who thinks about utopias and builds better spaces. Based in London (with two whippet studio assistants!), she has exhibited across the UK. Together, they brought us a tapestry of styles, textures, and perspectives. Each piece sparking conversations about cultural identity, memory, sound, and movement. The exhibition celebrated the strong creative communities in Surrey and the threads that connect us, expect diverse perspectives from d/Deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent artists across the South East.

The wider event and exhibition launch also featured as a social event for like-minded artists to meet each other and learn about the wider disability arts discourse through the symposium that took place on the same day.

The workshop facilitators brought the same level of passion and interest to the day. Poet, writer, mindfulness teacher Simon J Keenan launched the day with a gentle exploration of connection through poetry, breath, and creative presence. This was followed by deaf artist Vicky Barber-Crimes who delivered an expressive collage workshop, whilst sharing her experience as a deaf facilitator. The final workshop of the day was making Zines with Sea Shucksmith. The workshop encouraged us to share our own special interests, weaving collage and creative expression with the final result being a mini zine. 

The project culminated in 22 workshop attendees, 17 emerging artists gaining exposure, 6 employment opportunities, 4 art sales – and a lot of memorable experiences!

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