Artists with learning disabilities from Norfolk have been given the opportunity to upload photographs of their artwork onto a national website. Last month the Barrington Farm day centre welcomed Lucy Greenfield from the Outside In project alongside a team of local volunteers to help artists get online during one of two Surgery Days here in Norfolk.

Outside In was set up by Pallant House Gallery, Sussex in 2006 to bring the ‘outside in.’ Surgery Days provide a platform for artists who find it difficult to access the mainstream art world or who may not have the skills or facilities to do so otherwise. Marc Steene, Head of Learning and Community at Pallant House Gallery, has spearheaded the project, describing it as a ‘gentle revolution’, designed to enable a fairer art world where all who create have an equal opportunity to sit at the table and have their work seen and valued. He says ‘The challenge we are embracing is to reconsider how we define who is and is not an artist and what is and is not art in order to change attitudes in the mainstream art world’.

Barrington Farm Project Manager Sarah Ballard said “This is a fantastic project for artists who might need extra support to take part in creating their own online gallery. Many of the artists we work with live in quite isolated areas, and some artists still do not have access to the internet. We are especially thankful to Arts Council England for enabling us to reach out and help people to join in with this community activity and learn new skills.

“Our first Surgery Days was a real success but we will be hosting another on February 1st 2012, so if any of your readers know any artists that might benefit from this project please get in touch. Artists came from as far afield as Swaffham and we are hoping our next session will be just as popular. Artists can also go on to submit their work for the regional Outside In exhibition next year which is very exciting!”

Other regional partners for the East include the SCVA in Norwich, Kettle’s Yard, The Fitzwilliam Museum and Arts & Minds in Cambridge as well as the Museum for East Anglian Life in Stowmarket.

To take part or for more information please contact Sarah Ballard on 01692 650633 or email roar_art@hotmail.com www.roarart.com