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OUR VISION
A society where learning disabled and neurodivergent people can express their experiences and insight creatively, making powerful, high-quality work that is shared, recognised and respected.
@peopleatprism 
@prismartsgallery
We can now confirm that unfortunately we narrowly missed out on winning the Lanes' Community Fund! But a huge thank you to all of you - our wonderful supporters! We have been told it was very close, and every vote truly meant a lot. 💛
If you’d still like to help us fund lighting equipment for our Big Night Out tour, please consider making a donation: prismarts.org.uk/support-us/donate/Shortlisted Finalists- The Lanes Community Fund✨️
A few months ago, we gave local good causes and community groups the chance to enter to win £1,000 from The Lanes Community Fund.
A judging committee has now shortlisted five finalists, and it is down to you in a public vote to determine the winner - thank you to everyone who entered.
The shortlisted finalists are;
● Prism Arts
● Cornerstone
● St. Cuthbert's Primary and Nursery School
● Wigton A.B.C
● The Rock Youth Project
Public voting opens 9am on Monday 28th July via The Lanes website - www.lanescarlisle.co.uk/whats-on/community-fund-2025/
Voting closes Monday 11th August at 9am.
You can read more about the Community Fund finalists in the News & Star / The Cumberland News next week after voting has opened.
#TheLanes #DiscoverMore #Community #Carlisle #Cumbria #GoodCauses #Charity
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The nomination of the learning disabled artist Nnena Kalu for this year’s Turner Prize is a watershed moment for the LD/ND community, nationally and internationally.
Congratulations Nnena! All of here at Prism Arts are cheering for you 😄🥂🎉🥳 - and we encourage everyone to check out Nnena's Turner Prize exhibition at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford if you can make it (27 September-22 February 2026)Critics have been having their say as the latest edition of the UK’s Turner Prize launched yesterday (23 September) with an exhibition at Bradford’s Cartwright Hall Art Gallery.
The nomination of the learning disabled artist Nnena Kalu for this year’s Turner Prize has been described by UK culture professionals as a watershed moment. “It represents a really significant moment for the learning disabled artist community, not just nationally but internationally,” says Michael Raymond, a co-curator of the Turner Prize exhibition.
The Scottish artist’s work—comprising suspended sculptures bound with rope and tape along with swirling vortex drawings—is on show in the Turner Prize exhibition at Cartwright Hall Art Gallery in Bradford (27 September-22 February 2026) as part of the UK City of Culture festival. Rene Matić, Mohammed Sami, and Zadie Xa have also been nominated.
www.theartnewspaper.com/2025/09/24/there-is-no-fudging-she-deserves-to-win-critics-react-as-turne...
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Prism Arts can’t exist without art materials.
Every brush, every sheet of paper, every stick of charcoal is essential to our studio. Without these materials, we lose the tools that help our artists develop skills, gain independence, and bring their ideas to life.
As a small charity, we depend on the support of our local community. Across the UK, donations to small charities have fallen sharply in recent years, leaving organisations like Prism increasingly vulnerable to the effects of inflation.
Even donating as little as £5 helps us keep our studio stocked with the materials our artists need. Your gift, no matter the size, helps us provide a space where learning disabled and neurodivergent artists can paint, print, perform, and create work that deserves to be seen, heard and respected.
👉 Donate through our the link in our bio, or here: prismarts.org.uk/support-us/donate/
Not in a position to donate? Here’s other ways you can help Prism Arts:
1. Fundraise – Take on a challenge (a marathon, a bake sale, a sponsored swim!) or nominate Prism Arts as your school or workplace’s charity of the year.
2. Share our story – Spread the word by sharing our posts with friends, family, and colleagues who believe in inclusive creativity.
3. Support us locally – Come along to exhibitions, workshops, or events. Every survey, every visitor, and every bit of engagement helps us demonstrate the value of our work - which in turn strengthens our case for future funding.
With your support, our studio can continue to provide life changing support so that learning disabled and neurodivergent creatives can paint, print, perform, write, direct, build, and create work that deserves to be seen, heard, and respected. ❤
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Prism Arts is proud to be part of #SeeItToBeItCumbria, a brand-new countywide project led by Cumbria Arts and Culture Network and funded by Arts Council England.
Over the next three years, we’ll be working with partners across Cumbria to make creative careers a real option for young people - without them having to leave the county.
“See It To Be It is an exciting chance to connect the young people we work with to real creative opportunities right here in Cumbria. Prism Arts is proud to bring our experience in inclusive arts practice to the project, helping to open up clear, meaningful pathways for young creatives – particularly those who are learning disabled or neurodivergent – to develop their skills, gain paid experience, and imagine a future in the creative industries without having to leave the county.”
— Col Conroy, Creative Director, Prism Arts
💛 We’re excited to get started!
#PrismArts #SeeItToBeItCumbria #CreativeCareers #ArtsInCumbria #YoungCreatives #InclusiveArts
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We’re proud to be represented on Tullie’s Community Board through our studio member JYMA 💜 It’s been a brilliant way to engage and have a voice in shaping the museum’s future.
If you’re passionate about the local community and want to make a difference, this is a fantastic opportunity... apply by October 10!
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Nottingham Castle by Nigel Hayman, A2 in watercolour and marker pen. 🌲🌳 Nigel says “I chose this as it is a historical landmark and very nice looking building.”
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#landscape #painting #watercolour #artistsoninstagram #nottinghamcastle
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We are winding down getting ready for the summer break, and we’ve had three beautiful fresh feeling pieces from the studio today.
Abstract paper collage by Rosie Thompson.
Watercolour folklore creature by Tom Hanley.
Expressive paint stick mark making by Molly Prince.
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#abstractart #painting #collage #artistsoninstagram #creative
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Weighing in at almost 1.5 km (and what is estimated to be over 4km of yarn) is Catherine Quilter’s latest giant Pom Pom ! 🧶🌀💫
Catherine has been working away at creating this across multiple weeks and today it was finally cut and shaped after many hours of hard work wrapping yarn and plastic ribbon.
This is the next in a sequence of Pom Poms this artist has made, and is the biggest yet! ✨
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#pompom #textiles #fibreart #fibreartist #textileartist
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Paul Leith inspired workshop. 🌞 Today we had a cracking morning spent looking at local artist and colour maestro @paul_leith for inspiration. ✨
We enjoyed watching a short documentary about the artist and spotting local Carlisle landmarks, which also feature heavily in his artworks. 🟩
Using paper cut collage to replicate the artist’s bold graphic style, each artist worked also with their own distinctive styles to depict landscapes and characters.
Artists as shown:
🔸 Michael Shepherd
🔹 Andrew Evans
🔸 Tom Hanley
🔹 Rosie Thompson
🔸 Nigel Hayman
🔹 Andrew Evans
🔸 Michael Shepherd
🔹 Catherine Quilter
🔸 JYMA
🌀🟩🟡➿
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#artistsoninstagram #collage #papercut #landscapeart #carlisleart
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JYMA has continued developing his digital illustrative style and has created many fruitful digital series of works. As with his analogue created artwork he covers many topics, from political statements and social activism through to charming representations of day to day life.
Within this collection are his “All Sorts” pieced which demonstrate a message for equality through a witty lens.
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#digitalillustration #painting #illustration #politicalart
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Beautiful new marine themed piece by Stuart Iriving, measuring 100 x 81 cm, was created using a variety of layered techniques ranging from acrylic paint, pastels and paint pens.
Resulting in a large rich artwork Stuart continues with full strength to create art based off imagery from his travels.
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#artistsoninstagram #painting #landscapepainting #AbstractArt #painter
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Another studio day, another amazing day as artists in residence at @tulliecarlisle 😎🌟 Our artists who create on Thursdays have visited their artwork throughout Tullie and have brought more creativity and colour to the Tullie City Hall Studio.
Not only that, but the Thursday crew were part of an incredible live-streamed tour of the exhibition as part of peer group ‘Explorers Network’ … more on that soon!
There’s still 3 more days to visit and check out the artwork yourself, open during Tullie hours and throughout all of their free to access spaces. 🌀
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#artexhibition #artistsoninstagram #painting #printmaking #abstractart #creative
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Throughout this week you are able to watch on the big screen Thomas Joseph Hanley’s charming stop motion animation “Planet of the Shapes” at @tulliecarlisle in the Lecture Hall (accessed via the old Tullie building).
Tom has been working hard throughout the year to create parts 1 and 2 of his original sci-fi story - and the results are fantastic.
An avid world builder, Tom looked to one his key creative inspirations of Oliver Postgate to create work in a traditional style, choosing soft colour pencils and paper cut shapes to create a tactile imaginative animation story.
If you aren’t able to make it to Tullie, both parts 1 and 2 are available to watch on our YouTube channel, just search for ‘Prism Arts’!
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#artistsoninstagram #creative #stopmotion #animation #artexhibition #carlisle
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As part of our artist residency at @tulliecarlisle we have had the pleasure of visiting their current dinosaur exhibition, here are some fantastic textural dinosaur inspired artwork.
Artists as shown:
Katie Rudd
Marina Arnott
Connie Dodds
Millie
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#AbstractArt #painting #drawing #markmaking #dinosaurart
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“Tullie feels like our second home for Prism.”
- Millie, studio artist
Tuesday at Tullie. 😎 Our amazing young person studio group had a fantastic day as artists in residence at @tulliecarlisle as part of our exhibition of artwork across the building. 🌞
Our artists took a tour of all the artwork, including the amazing showreel in the lecture hall, and created some group work in the city hall studio.
The exhibition continues to be open across all the free to access spaces at Tullie for the rest of the week and weekend - who knows, you may even see some artists in residence!
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#artistsoninstagram #creative #artexhibition #painting #artistprofile
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We will also be featuring artwork created by our artists whilst in residence at @tulliecarlisle this week, running alongside our stunning exhibition of original artwork.
What better to start with than this lush piece created by Molly Prince using paint sticks on A2 paper.
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#AbstractArt #painting #artistsoninstagram #creative #artexhibition #artistresidency
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It’s open! 🥳💫 PRISM 2025 is now officially open all week to the public across all the free to access spaces at @tulliecarlisle 🌞 We kicked off the week and had our first group of artists in residence in the Tullie studio space, where they also had the immense pleasure of checking out their artwork in situ.
Make a day of it and explore the newly refurbished Tullie and cafe, and enjoy experiencing the incredible selection of artwork for yourself. ✨🌞
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#artexhibition #creative #artistsoninstagram #carlisle #painting #abstractart
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“Cores” by Ellz O’Roarty. 🌞
“This is aesthetic cores, with emojis that represent the cores.”
[Art pens on paper: 104 x 76 cm.]
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#illustration #drawing #emojis #artistsoninstagram
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A4 gelli print by Andrew Evans. Using his illustrative practise Andrew created this print by combing both drawn elements onto the gelli block along with swathes of his favoured colours. ➿
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#print #printmaking #gelliprint #illustration #artistsoninstagram
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JYMA has been working on a series of digital illustrations inspired by locations and memories of his childhood growing up in the area.
These drawings also serve as research for an ambitious larger project that is in the works. 💫
JYMA has also provided additional information with each piece.
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#illustration #digitalart #carlisle #drawing #landscape
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Two expressive acrylic paintings by Molly Prince. 🤩 Molly has been rapidly developing her creative practise by branching out her mark making artwork with the use of acrylic paint.
These two, the first A2 and the second at A3, exemplify her passion for bold, dense layers of colour.
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#AbstractArt #painting #artistsoninstagram #markmaking #abstractexpression
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