A Thursday morning art class for people with disabilities gained widespread attention in Katherine after their pieces were hung for the third time in an exhibition called Textures.
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Now, the class, and those who run it have seen well-deserved recognition on a Territory level.
Over the weekend, Katherine Regional Arts, the community organisation behind the art class, aptly named Access Art, was acknowledged in the Northern Territory Disability Services and Inclusion Awards, with a high commendation for improving participation.
Led by local artist Fiona Campbell, the classes are more than just a morning of enjoyment and a chance to get messy for the artists who attend.
"We create an inclusive space where clients with a range of disabilities can create art and just as importantly express themselves," Katherine Regional Arts executive officer Jacinta Mooney said.
"Most of the program's participants are non-verbal, but the classes have really fostered communication skills in other ways."
Since the beginning of the year, Ms Campbell has worked closely with the artists to uncover unique ways of creating art.
From finding niche tools that work with, rather than against restrictions to unmasking different textures, the classes have providing a creative outlet, and the results have been remarkable.
"We have the music cranking and lots of laughter while we create beautiful artwork," Ms Mooney said.
"It is so much better than doing physio solo and we are seeing huge increases in confidence and motor skills."
Everything from ice cubes, spaghetti, cotton buds and pastry brushes were used as a way to bring canvases to life in the latest exhibition - it went down so well one of the artists has been invited to hang her work in a solo show at Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre, next year.
In 2011, the Northern Territory Disability Services and Inclusion Awards set out to celebrate the positive contributions of those creating opportunities for people with disability, as well as government and non-government services, organisations, businesses and programs that demonstrate outstanding commitment to improving the lives of people with disability.
"Territorians living with a disability want and deserve access to high quality services and to be able to participate in safe and vibrant communities," Minister for Health, Natasha Fyles said.
"These awards formally recognise and acknowledge the commitment of organisations... and programs that demonstrate outstanding commitment to improving the lives of people with a disability, and we congratulate all winners and highly commended nominees."
Overall, 16 awards were handed out to the likes of the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children for improving learning and development, Katherine Development Assessment Clinic for its excellence in innovation and Trisha Wachtel from Early Childhood Australia, who was recognised for as an emerging leader.
Henbury School was awarded the Overall Award for Excellence.
Assistant Minister for Disabilities, Ngaree Ah Kit said the awards are well-timed with the Northern Territory's establishment of the new Disability Advisory Committee, aimed at providing opportunities for Territorians with disabilities to advise the Minister for Disabilities on issues impacting their lives.
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