What is a learning disabled artist?

Over the last two years Lauren Hall has been undertaking PhD research in collaboration between York St John University and leading learning disability arts organisation Mind the Gap Theatre Company. The focus of the research has been into questions of visibility, career opportunities and leadership development of learning disabled artists.
 
As part of her research Lauren has been conducting life-narrative interviews and observations at Mind the Gap from which she theorised three areas that make a learning disabled artist: Identity, Interdependence & Leadership. Through exploring these three areas her research seeks to articulate how  education and training, collaboration and activism can increase the visibility of and opportunities for learning disabled artists. 
 
As part of YSJU recent Postgraduate Research Conference Lauren presented a three minute thesis, which gave an brief insight into these three areas of a learning disabled artist and the importance of each one.