MK Gallery’s IPA team have partnered up with incredible local organisations MK Snap, Camphill MK Communities, St Paul’s Catholic School and The Pace Centre, to explore shared learning around inclusive creative practice and accessible exhibition tours.
IPA Partnerships
Sensory Tours
Since Spring 2022 MK Gallery have been collaborating with local organisations and IPA artist and sensory practitioner Julia Collar, to co-design and develop sensory based exhibition tours and experiences for our visitors.
Learners from MK SNAP, students from St Pauls Catholic school VI Department and residents from Camphill MK Communities have brought their own unique interpretations to MK Gallery’s exhibition programme. From a tiger who had lost their stripes in Beyond the Page, to a search for Mario’s gold coins in Wayfinder, and a visit to Jurassic Park in High Time, these tours bring personalised perspectives and huge amounts of fun to our galleries! Most recently we have teamed up with Lightbox, Woking and Charleston, Lewes to take MK Snap’s Andy Warhol and Vanessa Bell sensory kits on tour to other galleries.
“MK Gallery has empowered our learners to have a voice in the community. The gallery has become an accessible, fun, and engaging space where individuals with learning disabilities are not only included but celebrated.” Steven Carruthers, Director of Learning and Equality, MK Snap
The Pace Centre
Based in Aylesbury, The Pace Centre provides education and therapy support for children aged 0-18 with a wide range of neurodisabilities, specialising in supporting children and young people with cerebral palsy and other similar sensory motor disorders.
MK Gallery worked in partnership with Pace between 2023 and 2025 through a series of school and gallery based creative exchanges. With playful artist-led workshops and exploratory exhibition tours, children were wowed by new materials and experiences, and many of the children visited an art gallery for the very first time. The ongoing dialogue and learning between the IPA team and the Pace teaching team, is facilitating greater confidence and skills for both.
“For us it’s seeing a difference in the children. J is not a child who particularly enjoys art. Watching him on the trip, it wasn’t the same child, and he’s now requested a messy day every half term! It’s been an amazing experience, the children are still talking about it!” – Willow Class Conductor
