New Exhibition at Sheffield's Millennium Gallery Showcases Autistic Artists and Artists Who Have a Learning Disability

Ever thought about what art looks like from every corner of the globe, all brought together in one place? Well, something pretty special is happening in Sheffield. The ArtWorks Together International 2026 festival is an incredible exhibition that’s all about showcasing the amazing talents of adult artists who have a learning disability, are autistic, or both. It’s a fantastic opportunity to see the world through different eyes and celebrate a huge range of creative works. This isn't just another art exhibition; it's a vibrant, international festival right on the doorstep, offering a platform for artists whose voices and perspectives are vital and often unheard.

Alexis Avlamis, The Warrior © the artist

What’s it all about?

Kicking off on Saturday, 24 January at the Millennium Gallery, the festival's main exhibition will feature shortlisted works from 70 talented artists, hailing from an impressive 21 countries. Think about that for a second – creative works from South Yorkshire to South Asia, all under one roof in Sheffield. It’s a chance to see the sheer breadth and depth of artistic practice from artists who have a learning disability and autistic artists working on an international scale today. The organisation behind this brilliant opportunity is ArtWorks South Yorkshire, a not-for-profit creative arts group that does amazing work inspiring and helping adults with learning disabilities to reach their potential. This festival is a massive moment, not just for the artists, but for the visibility of disability arts on a global stage. The exhibition runs all the way through to Sunday, 31 May 2026, so there’s plenty of time to get down there and see it.

Carlos Biggerman, Blue Hour at Arthur Pass, © the artist

A showcase of international artistic talent

The exhibition at the Millennium Gallery is a vibrant and ambitious collection of contemporary works. It’s not just one type of art; it’s a brilliant mix of painting, photography, sculpture, mixed media, film, and more. The artworks that have been shortlisted are incredibly varied. Some are beautiful celebrations of colour and nature – the kind of stuff that just brings a bit of joy to your day. Others dive into more urgent social, political, and environmental themes, offering perspectives that really make you think. It’s this mix that makes the festival so important; it challenges our assumptions about who artists are and whose voices get valued in the world of arts. Let’s look at some of the shortlisted artists and their works:

• Alice Bulmer's Oh, There Is Thunder In Our Hearts is a powerful piece. She explains, “The title comes from a line in the Kate Bush song ‘Running Up That Hill’, which centres around the imbalance of power, gender and struggle – trying to live in a neurotypical world as an autistic woman and the desire to swap places to allow others to understand our struggles.”

• Gabriel Bennett Lovejoy’s Self Portrait is a deeply personal work. The artist says, “Sometimes I think a lot about being trans and autistic and how they overlap and intertwine inside of me until I explode. It changes the way I view myself and how I exist in the world.” It’s this kind of honest, artistic exploration that makes the exhibition so compelling.

• Kayla Snover's piece, Urban Oasis, captures the buzz of city life. Having spent time in Boston and New York, she wanted to get that energy onto canvas. “I wanted to capture the dynamic energy of city life in my painting by using undulating shapes and a kaleidoscope of colours that dance across the canvas,” she says. It’s something anyone who has felt the rush of a big city can relate to.

• Then there's Kota Urai's Joy, which expands on the Japanese art of paper-cutting called kirie. He uses special scissors to create his own unique style, and the result is pure joy. He says that if you look closely, "you will see living creatures, which he also loves to envision and portray in his art."

These are just a few of the incredible artists whose works will be on display, each offering a unique and vital perspective.

Alice Bulmer, Oh, There Is Thunder In Our Hearts © the artist

The people making it happen

An international festival of this scale needs a great team, and ArtWorks Together has just that. The final submissions will be judged by a top-notch selection panel. Imagine having your creative works reviewed by BAFTA award-winning TV presenter, George Webster, or London’s Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries, Justine Simons OBE. The panel also includes Claire Buckley from Julie's Bicycle and Kirstie Haimilton from Sheffield Museums, so the shortlisted artists are in very good hands. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on Thursday, 12 February.

George Webster, speaking for the judging panel, shared his excitement:

“I’m super excited to be a judge for ArtWorks Together. It’s going to be so much fun. Celebrating the arts created by people with disabilities is very important – our worldview can be different and there are so many super talented and creative people around. We all need to be seen and our voices need to be heard.”

The team at ArtWorks South Yorkshire and Sheffield Museums are just as passionate. Kayleigh Cruickshank, the Director and Founder at ArtWorks, highlighted the significance of the event, saying,

"Presenting the third biannual Art Works Together at the Millennium Gallery is a hugely significant moment for our festival and for the visibility of disability arts on a National and International level. It sends a powerful message that artists who have a learning disability and/or who are autistic belong in our most prominent cultural spaces."

Amy Marsh, the Exhibitions Coordinator at Sheffield Museums, echoed this sentiment:

“The Millennium Gallery showcases the best in local, national and international creative talent and we are thrilled to host the ArtWorks Together International 2026 exhibition. Sheffield Museums has worked with ArtWorks on several projects over the years, and they are always brilliantly creative and ambitious – and by bringing together over 70 works by artists from 23 different countries, this exhibition is a fantastic testament to that. We’re delighted to be part of this wonderful opportunity to celebrate the breadth of artistic talent and creativity of artists with a learning disability and/or autism, through this dazzling array of paintings, drawings, textiles, sculpture and film.”

More than just an exhibition

While the exhibition at the Millennium Gallery is the main event, the ArtWorks Together International 2026 is a full-blown festival. The wider programme includes creative workshops at both the Millennium Gallery and Cambridge Street Collective, as well as a special installation at Sheffield Train Station. It’s a city-wide celebration of creative talent from artists who have learning disabilities or who are autistic. The main exhibition itself is completely free to enter, though a donation of £5 is suggested to support the incredible work these organisations do. It’s a brilliant opportunity to experience an international arts festival and see some truly remarkable works from talented artists. The whole festival brings people together to celebrate a diverse range of artistic voices.