Art Connects: Real opportunities for real talent

Donate this EOFY to fund lasting access to buyers, commissions, and a new gallery for artists with disability - because the gap has never been talent.

The talent is already there.
What’s missing is access.

Artists with disability are creating powerful, original, highly skilled work - yet too often they remain unseen, undervalued, and locked out of real opportunity. Not because the work lacks quality, but because the pathways into the professional art market are limited or closed altogether.

For nearly 20 years, Art Connects has supported hundreds of people to create work of exceptional quality, originality, and relevance.

Demand for this work exists. What’s needed now are the platforms that allow artists to present, sell, and earn from their work on professional terms. Without it, extraordinary work goes unseen - and opportunity remains out of reach. Art Connects is changing that.

A gallery where artists thrive - what we need

You hold the key - help us unlock the door to real opportunity

We’re creating permanent, practical pathways from talent to income.

With your support, we will transform an existing space at Araluen Lower Plenty into a dedicated community gallery – giving 50 artists a professional place to exhibit, sell, and control how their work is represented.

The planning is done. The artists are ready.
We now need funding to make it real.

We urgently need $10,000 to get the gallery open and operating.

Donations of $2 or more are tax-deductible.
So make sure you donate by 30th June so you can claim that advantage this financial year. 

We cannot take our first steps and open our gallery without your support. And every dollar we raise over our target helps us grow.

$10,000
This amount will fund a stage one transformation of the space, including essential upgrades and professional gallery display systems - allowing us to launch a high-quality gallery and begin generating real sales opportunities from day one.

+$7,000
With an additional $7,000, we can expand into an online sales platform - connecting artists with buyers, collectors, and commission opportunities well beyond the local community and creating more consistent income opportunities for more artists.

+$30,000
With further support - up to $30,000 - we can introduce premium features such as a Chancez Café, an outdoor paved seating area, and a flexible event space, expanding both reach and revenue potential.

Donate today to give talented artists with disability the chance to be seen, valued, and paid for their work
You’re not just funding a space - your support turns talent into opportunity.

Help build a future where artists with disability are recognised, supported, and valued as professionals.

Support us - and you can also support an artist by choosing to receive a specially-commissioned "thank you gift".
These items only available here and optional to receive - you can let us know during the donation process. 

T&C's> if you choose to support Araluen and an artist directly by commissioning a one-off sculpture, please be aware that each piece is crafted by hand with love and precision. So time frames can vary and depending on the availability artist involved, may take up to 6 - 8 months.