Host organisation: Project Ability
Project title: Project Ability: Artist-in-Residence
Project description

Project Ability celebrates and provides a platform for diversity and inclusion in the contemporary visual arts sector. Respect for artistic and personal freedom is important to us, and we support people to grow their artistic practice in an inclusive, creative environment. We believe each and every person should have the opportunity to work within their capacity and develop at their own pace.

We provide a welcoming community for disabled people, people with learning disabilities and people with lived experience of mental ill health, allowing them to express themselves, achieve their potential and succeed as artists.

Through participation in the studio people gain access to unique opportunities to learn skills, grow in confidence and demonstrate their talent and ability. They will be visible, equal and proud of their artistic identity.

We aim to improve health and well-being through engagement, development and enjoyment of visual art.

Taking part contributes to:

  • improved knowledge, skills and creativity
  • improved self-confidence and self esteem
  • better connectedness with improved sense of self and sense of belonging

“I like how everyone is so respectful and understanding, and likes a chat.”

2024-25 charitable activities:
Core Programme:
To achieve our aims we deliver an extensive programme of workshops, masterclasses, training, exhibitions, and pathways to volunteering and employment, working from Trongate 103, 50 weeks of the year.

The core programme is:

  • Aspire for people with learning disabilities.
  • Create for children and young people with disabilities, siblings and care givers.
  • Reconnect for people with lived experience of mental ill health

30 local statutory and third sector health and social care providers’ signpost and support people to attend.

The Exhibition Programme is an opportunity for people to showcase their work in public in a professional gallery and contribute to the vibrancy of the local arts community. We have a wide network of partners across the UK and internationally which generates a great number of exhibition opportunities.

In 20242/25 -163 Project Ability artists exhibited their work in 28 exhibitions.

Outputs

The residency can result in a case study, new exhibition or body of work in any art form which is specifically influenced by the interns experience of being in our studio and working alongside our community of disabled artists.

Location

In the Residency Studio in our studio in Trongate 10 in the centre of Glasgow. This is an accessible dedicated space. The intern will have access to materials and equipment that are in standard use in the studio.

Benefits to the researcher

The residency will provide the intern with a dedicated period of time, space, and resources to enable them to deepen their practice, and explore innovative ideas . It will provide the opportunity to connect with our community of disabled artists while allowing them to fully immerse themselves in their work and develop new ideas. It will encourage collaboration and experimentation with artists with different backgrounds, skills, and lived experience. It can lead to collaborative projects and fresh ideas and encourage experimentation.

Key relationships

The researcher will have access to our community of disabled artists: people with learning disabilities their family members and care givers, people with lived experience of mental ill health and mental health professionals and children and young people with disabilities, their families and care givers.

An exhibition or event in the gallery is open to the public and can attract a wide audience as well as tailored invites aimed at specific interest groups.

Project Ability's professional relationships are with funding bodies, local government, statutory and third sector health and social care organisations, contemporary local arts community and local, national and international disability arts community.

Timescale

Flexible

Subject areas

This opportunity would be relevant to the following subject areas:

Creative Writing; Visual Arts; Curating; Museum and Gallery Studies.

Person specification

A1. Knowledge Base
  • Essential: Subject Knowledge.

  • Desirable: Research methods – theoretical knowledge; Research methods – Practical application.

A2. Cognitive Abilities
  • Essential: Analysing; Synthesising; Critical thinking; Evaluating; Problem Solving.
A3. Creativity
  • Desirable: Inquiring minds; Intellectual insight; Innovation.
B1. Personal qualities
  • Essential: Enthusiasm; Perseverance; Integrity; Self-reflection; Responsibility.
B2. Self management
  • Essential: Preparation and prioritisation.
C1. Professional conduct
  • Essential: Health and Safety; Ethics, principles and sustainability; Respect and confidentiality; Attribution and co-authorship; Appropriate practice.
C2. Research management
  • Essential: Project planning and delivery.

  • Desirable: Research Strategy.

D1. Working with others
  • Essential: Team working; Collaboration; Equality and diversity.
D2. Communication & dissemination
  • Desirable: Communication methods.
D3. Engagement & impact
  • Desirable: Public engagement

First published: 9 October 2025

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