OUR STORY
Championing disability inclusion in the arts and Web3
ARTXV is a cultural hub and community focused on providing support for creatives in the disabled community to thrive and take up space in both the traditional art world and the rapidly growing Web3 industry.
Centred around empowerment, inclusion and celebration, ARTXV amplifies the talent and stories of the disabled community that have long been undiscovered due to the systemic barriers they face in both the art industry and wider society.
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Disability is the largest minority in the world, yet 87% of arts venues in more than 40 countries don’t include disabled people in any part of the process.
Founded in 2021 by two sisters from London: Ava and Tara, an autistic, non-verbal artist, ARTXV’s story began when Ava tried to get Tara's work recognised by the traditional art world.
Ava struggled and was met with dismissive responses once they realised that Tara was autistic. Suggestions for Tara to join a charity or sell postcards of her work on Etsy made it clear that the art world did not see disabled artists as legitimate artists.
"The art world is by nature full of extraordinary things. It is a shame that so many neurodiverse artists, often with unique interpretations, experiences and talent of the world around them have struggled to find a home within it."
- Caleb Lewis, artist
From here the two sisters set out to find a new creative space. One that welcomed change, valued community and celebrated diversity.
ARTXV was born. Starting off as a NFT collective and consequently becoming the first Web3 organisation for the disabled community, ARTXV experimented with these emerging technologies to explore alternative ways to bring exposure and financial independence to neurodivergent artists.
Art in a collection named 'The Power of Neurodiversity' was sold, our artists had their work featured on Google Arts & Culture, Forbes, Times Square and in subway stations worldwide, showing the world that these undiscovered artists just needed the accessibility measures in order to take on the world and take their rightful space in the art industry.
The Social Model of Disability:
The understanding that people are disadvantaged by barriers in society, not by their diagnosis or differences. Barriers can be physical, institutional, even to do with attitude. Removing these barriers is a step towards equality, independence and freedom.
ARTXV has now grown into an organisation serving the entire disabled community in the arts and everything web3, championing disability inclusion at the intersection of creative and technical industries.
ARTXV is dedicated to providing opportunities, resources, a safe space to learn and a united front to show the world the disabled community, by the disabled community.
"Digital access and skills are essential to enabling people to fully participate in an increasingly digital society. Tackling the digital divide will be crucial to addressing social and economic inequalities and levelling up every community."
-UK House of Commons
“As my own career, goals and dreams progressed, I never wanted Tara's to be left behind. Disabled people want to work, to contribute to society and to create a legacy for themselves - they just need the opportunities and accessibility measures to do so."
- Ava, ARTXV founder
