Sarah Barker Art Studios CIC exists because creativity should never be limited by disability, circumstance, age or background.
We are a disability-led organisation based in Cornwall, transforming how people experience art, movement, connection and community. Every session we run, every partnership we build, and every smile in the room starts from the same belief:
Everyone has the right to create. Everyone has the right to belong. Everyone has the right to be seen.
Our work is rooted in lived experience. Our founder, Sarah Barker, became paralysed from the neck down after an accident at 18 months old. Today she is a professional mouth-painting artist, founder of this CIC, a disability advocate, and proof that creativity can thrive in any form.
Sarah’s journey, from painting with a brush held between her teeth, to exhibiting her work across Cornwall, to leading volunteers and building inclusive programmes. shaped the entire mission of the studio:
We exist because:
We exist to change that.
We run a growing collection of inclusive, high-energy, heart-led programmes for children, young people, adults, families, schools and organisations.
Every session is built around accessibility, creativity and confidence-building — blending art, movement, music, sensory exploration and storytelling.
Our flagship family programme is a mash-up of dance, movement, music and painting. Fully inclusive, multi-sensory and bursting with colour. Ideal for early years, families and SEND children.
Intergenerational, disability-inclusive art sessions featuring special guest artists (including blind and partially sighted artists) focused on connection, expression and collaborative creativity.
A beautiful, gentle, musical session for babies, toddlers and parents — building early communication, bonding and sensory confidence.
A vibrant arts-and-culture journey for children and families exploring colour, identity, stories and creative traditions from around the world.
Creative wellbeing sessions designed to support adults, older people, carers and those living with dementia or loneliness.
A relaxed, creative social group for men of all ages to paint, chat, connect and decompress.
Fully tailored sessions that support curriculum themes, wellbeing, sensory exploration, inclusive movement and creative play. We work with early years settings, mainstream schools and SEND/ASD provisions.
We also host:
Every programme is designed to be welcoming, joyful, accessible, sensory-friendly and confidence-boosting — with options for seated, standing and mixed-ability participation.
We proudly collaborate with:
We partner with organisations who share our values: inclusion, accessibility, creativity, community, kindness and empowerment.
This CIC was born from a paintbrush and a fierce belief in possibility.
Sarah has painted by mouth since childhood, transforming canvases with vibrant colour, movement and emotion. As her artwork gained recognition, families and organisations began asking her to share her creative spark with others — especially children and disabled young people who rarely get the chance to meet or learn from disabled artists.
That spark became a movement. A few sessions grew into a programme. A programme grew into a CIC.
And the CIC has grown into a bold, inclusive creative community hub empowering hundreds of people across Cornwall.
Today, Sarah leads the organisation with a dedicated team of volunteers, trustees, creative facilitators and partners — all working to bring joy, colour and connection to every corner of our community.
We promise to create spaces that are:
This is more than art.
This is community.
This is belonging.
This is creativity without limits.
