Welcome to the
Dandeilion Artists' Collective
The Dandeilion Artists' Collective is an online art studio and education center built by Disability artists for Disability artists across Canada. We're creating a space where differences are celebrated and lived experience can shape empowered identities.
Through our educational programming, professional art exhibitions, and advocacy, we're elevating our voices to challenge the status quo, transforming personal narratives into meaningful artistic pieces.
Our work doesn’t ask for permission – we are redefining culture by showing what’s possible when people with Disabilities are acknowledged on our own terms.
Where this journey truly began
Sandra Hewitt-Parsons is a registered art therapist, Disability artist, and doctoral candidate at Memorial University. Guided by her rural roots and her lived experiences with complex disabilities, her dissertation explores belonging and not belonging in rural and remote regions.
Using an arts-based format, Sandra extended an invitation to anyone in Canada with an interest in creative expression and lived experiences of belonging and (not) belonging. Seven artists responded, co-creating the "What it means to (not) belong" exhibition.
These are our truths.
You can visit our exhibition at:
- The Rotary Arts Centre, Corner Brook NL (September 14 - 18)
- E.L. Roberts Memorial Library, Woody Point NL (September 21 - 24)
- The Kindale Library, Stephenville NL
(October 5 - 9).
You can also view the exhibition online, exploring the work of participating artists by selecting the “Exhibition Showcase” drop-down menu above.
Emancipatory Entrepreneurship for Disability Artists
Turn your lived experience, creativity, and community building skills into a sustainable, liberating venture.
What is emancipatory entrepreneurship?
This type of self-employment emancipates (or frees) marginalized group members to promote their identities, challenge stigma, and build community. It's creating a platform for your voice, on your terms. These ventures are about much more than making a profit.
The Dandeilion Artists' Collective offers online programs that will help you build an emancipatory practice as a Disability Artist.
You'll learn about:
- Artistic techniques
- Disability arts, culture, and history
- Collaboration and networking
- Basic business skills (bookkeeping, marketing...)
- Creating a digital platform
- Building an identity as a Disability artist
