“I love being an artist and selling my artwork.” If you want to shop a little differently this giving season, here are the creators and brands leading the way.
Every year, the end-of-year rush arrives the same way, inboxes full of countdown clocks, limited-time offers and reminders to buy before we miss out. There’s pressure to choose quickly, tick boxes and somehow make our gifting feel intentional.
Across Australia, designers and artists with lived experience of disability are creating products that stand out for their craft, originality and clarity of purpose. These are pieces made with thought. Things you’ll want to give because they’re genuinely beautiful, clever or surprising - not because they were discounted.
Shopping from disabled creators is not charity. It is good design, smart business and ethical purchasing. It supports visibility, employment and creative independence. It recognises that talent exists everywhere, including in communities that the mainstream creative industries often overlook.
If you want to shop a little differently this season, start here.
Image: Thom Roberts 'Monster Mud Platter 33' Studio A.
Art, homewares and creative work that supports artists with disability
Loom Arts and Management, Melbourne
Loom is a Melbourne based social enterprise which exists to increase representation, respect and access of d/Deaf and disabled artists within the arts industry. Loom represents artists with disability and increases their visibility in the wider arts sector. Their online shop sells a range of artworks and creative products.
loom.org.au
Image: Hannah and Nic sitting in the Loom studio working at a laptop / Image credit: Phoebe Powell
Bridget Kelly Art, Sydney
A Sydney abstract colourist 'with a chromosome to spare' whose vibrant work using Posca pens brings movement, colour and emotion to any room.
bridgetkellyart.com
Image: Digital image, 'Celebration (Posca on Paper)' by Bridget Kelly.
Studio A, Sydney
A respected studio supporting artists with intellectual disability. Their prints, ceramics, textiles and homewares are full of personality and bold visual ideas.
"I make art about the things I love. At Studio A I feel happy and proud and nice and good. I like getting paid for my artwork." Thom Roberts, Studio A artist.
studioa.org.au
Image: Thom Roberts stands with one of his art pieces, a finalist in the Archibald and the Sulman prizes at AGNSW. Credit: ABC Arts: Eloise Fuss
Jimmy’s Woodturning, Sydney
An autistic woodturner from Western Sydney crafting handmade bowls, pens and timber homewares. Each piece is unique and made with care.
jimmyclewes.com
Hand to Hand Craft, Newcastle
Hand to Hand is a craft shop and creative community space in Newcastle Mall which supports people with a disability, such as Georgia and her 'Witchy Bath Bombs', by providing training and employment.
"They are called Witchy Bath Bombs because they’re a bit witchy. Some are to do with seasons, the witch wheel of the year and the phases of the moon," Georgia said.
"I wanted to do bath bombs that relax me, like when I am having an experience of sensory overwhelm."
Image: Lesley and Georgia stand behind a table with Witchy Bath Bomb merchandise in a store.
Australian gifts worth giving this year
Every product in this list is created by a designer with lived experience of disability. These are not specialty items. They are simply smart, beautifully crafted things that anyone would love.
Art from the Heart - Art by Saffron, Norfolk Island
Saffron uses a variety of recycled materials and mediums to create unique items such as cards, stickers, upcycled mint tins, and even ‘magic’ mugs. She collaborates with other neurodivergent artists and has worked on a short film project, showing her ability to connect and collaborate with others in the creative space.
"I love being an artist and selling my artwork." Saffron shared.
If you’re visiting Norfolk Island, you can purchase Saffron’s artwork at the Tourist Information Centre, Prinke, The Olive, Franks Shoe Shop, Rabbit’s Bikes and Brew and the Art in the Heart Gallery, at the Life Without Barriers Office.
Image: Saffron is wearing a pink dress and has short blonde hair. She is holding up two cards with her art on them.
Creator’s Friend, Queensland
Founder Alanah Purtell created a notebook system that mirrors the way her neurodivergent mind organises information. The result is a range of structured hobby journals for knitting, gardening, training and more.
creatorsfriend.com.au
Kaiko Fidgets, Melbourne
What started as teen designer Kai Seymon’s personal need for tactile tools became a premium line of engineered stainless-steel fidgets that look like modern desk objects.
kaikofidgets.com
Why the purchases we make matter
Buying from creators with disability does more than tick a gift off your list. It supports:
financially sustainable creative careers
new design perspectives
representation in industries where disabled voices are often overlooked
a more inclusive Australian economy
These are gifts that do not just sit under a tree. They help build a different kind of future.
A kinder approach to the season
This gift guide highlights the talent, originality and skill of creators with lived experience of disability from across Australia.
Their stories reflect the many different ways people develop their skills and express their creativity.
If you’re a person with disability exploring your own path toward meaningful work, our Employment Pathways program can support you. We offer practical, enjoyable ways to build confidence, develop skills and take real steps toward your goals - whether that’s moving from school into work, starting a small business, studying something new or gaining experience in community organisations.
Our support is individualised and flexible, shaped around your interests and ambitions. Whatever direction you're considering, we’re here to help you explore your options and build a future that feels right for you.
Find out more here: Life Without Barriers Employment Pathways.
