Creating an Inclusive Arts Culture: Exploring the Impact of an Inclusive Arts Programme for Families With Children With Learning Disabilities and Complex Needs

ABSTRACT Background Arts‐based activities and experiences are often beneficial for health and wellbeing, however people with learning disabilities and complex needs and their families are often excluded from arts programmes, venues and activities due to inaccessible facilities, practices and cultures. This paper reports on how an inclusive arts‐based programme, Art and Us, supported the development of art and organisational practices that could better include children with learning disabilities and complex needs and their families. Methods This was a qualitative project involving four surveys, 14 interviews and two focus groups with families, artists and wider Gallery staff (26 participants). Findings The findings show that inclusive arts programmes are valuable to children, families and artists, and can help galleries understand how better to include them. Arts activities enable marginalised families to be included in art practices and spaces in ways they had not done previously. Conclusions Inclusive arts programmes not only provide an important provision for children with learning disabilities and complex needs and their families but also develop the inclusive practices of artists and galleries. Mainstream galleries may not always be able to meet this group's needs though inclusive arts programmes can help to create more accessible programmes, cultures and spaces.