About Prism

Based in Carlisle, Prism has been delivering programmes for learning disabled and neurodivergent visual and performing artists since 1987. Alongside our core studio and exhibition programmes, the charity works across Cumbria to deliver transition projects for SEND young people and inclusivity training for organisations. 

Our programmes allow individuals to explore their own identities through access to high quality materials and artist facilitators, to create exceptional work and to build life-changing confidence, connections and communities. Visit our stories page to hear from Prism Artists about the impact our studio programme has had for them.

If you’d like to explore our projects from over the years, you can visit our Prism Archive page.

Our Stories

Studio Programmes

Our studio programmes, youth workshops and projects are run by professional artists who work in partnership with the participants, facilitating them in all aspects of the creative process from research, to creating, to exhibiting or performing.

Over a year, Prism Arts runs 216 workshops which provide over 2,500 opportunities to adults and young people to release, explore and develop their creative talents. In 2022, over 45,000 people viewed our artist’s work in public exhibitions. 

We run four regular creative programmes in Carlisle for adults over the age of 18. You can find out more about each studio and how to join on our enrollment page:

Enroll

SEND Transition Programmes

We also have a SEND offer for schools and colleges: a transition programme for neurodivergent young people, which we deliver on a commissioned basis. If you’d like to know more about what we can offer, visit our SEND offer page.

Our SEND Offer

Projects

We run many projects with partner organisations, such as Cumbria Wildlife Trust, University of Cumbria, Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery, Cumbria Museum of Military Life, as well as many schools throughout the county. These projects give us an opportunity to work with different groups of people exploring a particular subject.

We are one of the Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Funded Organisations.
“National Portfolio Organisations are leaders in their areas, with a collective responsibility to protect and develop our national arts and cultural ecology.” – Arts Council England

If you’d like to work with us for a project, check out our Commission Us page:

Commission Us