An Autism through art group in Doncaster has become the latest community group to receive funding for good causes from the National Lottery. Artistic Spectrum helps local people with the condition and their families, to come together to engage in creativity; it has now received a share of a fund worth £3m from the Lottery People’s Projects (a scheme that went to a public vote in the early months of 2016). The scheme is particularly welcome considering Autism Awareness Day is today (2nd April). They help a number of people with autism across the Doncaster area to develop their artistic skills and to promote such work in the community and beyond.
Source: hepingting Autism 25. Creative Commons (License Link)
Autism through art has seen a number of successes in the area; the Artistic Spectrum group has organised a number of successful exhibitions at local galleries already and wish to expand beyond the home town. Some of the money will be used to take the artists and their families to see their work when it is displayed at Westminster later in 2016. Some more money will go to expanding the scheme to offer more facilities and upgrade equipment. The £50,000 share has been welcomed by patrons and organisers of the group who want to promote better attitudes towards people with autism engage them with art.
Other charities in the area congratulated Artistic Spectrum and praised their important autism through art scheme, and pointed to local celebrities who have done much to promote the scheme. Actress Sophie McShera who played “Daisy” in Downton Abbey, is one of the local patrons and supporters. She pointed to the positive social and community aspect of the group beyond the autism through art that they provide, bringing people on the autistic spectrum and their families in a culture of understanding and community.