Recognising and Respecting Creatives
&You: Intoart
Intoart is an art and design studio in Peckham working inclusively with people with learning disabilities. Their vision is to enable people to become visible, equal and established artists in their own right, regardless of disabilities.
We caught up with Intoart’s Director Ella Ritchie, to learn about their origin, the achievements of their artists to date and aspirations for the future.
1. Tell us how Intoart came about?
Sam Jones and myself founded Intoart when we left art school in 2000. It began as an 8eightweek project, to respond to a lack of high-quality arts education and limited opportunities for people with learning disabilities to develop a practice as an artist. Nearing its 20th year in 2020, the organisation has grown into a full-time studio programme. Determined to challenge preconceptions and overturn prejudices, Intoart aims to provide a platform for people with learning disabilities, to become both visible and equal in the art world — not merely applauded for participating, but recognised and respected as creatives in their own right.
2. What programs, classes or courses do you run?
We support the work of 21 artists in furthering their practices with the provision of high-quality art and design production facilities, an exhibitions and events programme, and collaborations. Over the years Intoart has evolved in response to the needs of artists and currently performs the role of: Artist Liaison, Commissioner, Curator, Studio Provider, Mentor, as well as being a site of ambitious artistic production.
Assumptions prevail that people with learning disabilities are the recipients of a service and are participants rather than contemporary cultural producers in their own right.
3. What impact have the programmes had on its members?
We work with people over a long period of time. Some of the artists have been members of the collective for more than 15 years, it’s an important part of people’s lives and a serious commitment to making art. Recent successes by individual artists include, the acquisition of works by Mawuena Kattah in the Arts Council’s National Loan Collection, Clifton Wright in ‘Close:Drawn Portraits’ at the Drawing Room, London and Ntiense Eno Amooquaye’s award of the Artists’ International Development Fund, to research and develop new work at the Texture Museum in Belgium.
4. Are there any aspects of the work you enjoy most?
As Director of the organisation my role is really varied. I have always kept my feet firmly rooted in the studio practice and relationships with the artists, so that this direct experience feeds into my responsibility to lead on the strategic direction, fundraising, partnership building and public programming. It has always been important that the organisation is led by the strength and energy of the collective and artistic practice, which in turn drives the integrity of what we do.
5. What have been the biggest challenges so far?
Assumptions prevail that people with learning disabilities are the recipients of a service and are participants rather than contemporary cultural producers in their own right. There is a huge amount of work still to be done to raise expectations and challenge preconceptions. We believe that with increased ambition, the artwork made by artists from Intoart is a strong counter to those prejudices and that’s why in January 2019 we launched Artists Direct Change (ADC) programme. By 2020 we want to share our successes, but also question why there are still so many barriers to inclusion for people with learning disabilities in contemporary art programmes and discourses.
6. How has Peckham influenced Intoart artists?
We moved into a studio at Peckham Levels which is five times the size of our formed space. We created an art and design studio, office and archive, which comprises of more than 3,000 artworks. With the new premises came greater possibilities to develop new projects, collaborations and exchanges between those housed in the building and living locally in Peckham. Peckham Levels was a good fit, housing a diverse range of creative practitioners and having the resources to expand our means of production, such as onsite screen- printing, ceramics and darkrooms was a big pull for us.
We believe that increasing the visibility of the artwork is critical to achieving meaningful change through exhibitions and public discourse.
7. What collaborative projects are you currently working on?
Our design studio spans illustration, product and graphic design, print, textiles, ceramics and fashion, resulting in a distinctive range of products, limited edition prints and creative collaborations. We have just completed our debut fashion collection with John Smedley knitwear. This collection represents the first collaboration of its kind for Intoart and John Smedley, as well as the biggest commercial impact that Intoart has had on the design industry to date. Designed by three Intoart artists, it features hand- drawn designs created exclusively for John Smedley. We are also highly excited about our current collaboration with RoomFifty, launching a new digital print collection in April.
8. What would you like to do more of?
We have recently become the proud owner of our very first printing press – a Polymetal Press HPV-60. This means that we can expand our work to encompass new print processes, with the first batch of Intoart editions going on sale here in Peckham this June.
A big moment for us will be our 20th year celebrations in 2020 and we hope this presents opportunities for some exciting public programmes and collaborations.
10. What kind of exposure do exhibitions create and and why are they so important?
Since its foundation, Intoart has realised exhibitions, commissions and research projects with contemporary art galleries and museums in the UK and internationally, including Victoria and Albert Museum, Tate, Southbank Centre, Whitechapel Gallery.
Through our Artists Direct Change programme we will be seeking to champion more opportunities for people with learning disabilities practising as artists, working with curators, writers, museum and gallery directors and commissioners. We believe that increasing the visibility of the artwork is critical to achieving meaningful change through exhibitions and public discourse.
Meet Clifton Wright, he’s been a resident Intoart artist since 2007. Here’s his story…
The Intoart studio is my launch pad. With Intoart, over the past 14 years, I’ve had opportunities and done things I never thought I would do: all this great work and all my research, working with great museums and galleries. Not just thinking about myself, but with other artists in the Intoart studio
as well. So when Ntiense [Eno Amooquaye] was making new work for an exhibition at the Texture Museum in Belgium, I helped her with that, I encouraged her. Working together with people is important. I work on my own drawings, but we also look at everyone’s work and make comments. For me, thinking through and talking through what I am doing in the studio helps me know what to leave behind and what to take forward.
In 2018 I was selected for an exhibition at the Drawing Room. The exhibition was called ‘Close: Drawn Portraits’, two of my drawings were exhibited alongside many artists including Picasso, Hockney, and Lucien Freud.
To find out more, visit: intoart.org.uk
