Simply put, there is a need.

Living through COVID-19 allowed us to pause and view the world through a new, digitised and more accessible lens. Establishing additional safe and inclusive environments for professional self-taught, neurodivergent and disabled creatives to connect, collaborate and grow is critical.

So, we decided to form in-person and online spaces for creatives to access centred on principles of equity and mutual support, fostering connections among artists, studios, peers, partners, local and global audiences. We share the work of artists, our experiences and modes of working whenever we can to help make the world a better and inclusive place.

Jump Left is based in Naarm, Melbourne.

We also work online and in person with artists, peers, and organisations across Australia.

We are currently crowdfunding for an inner-city creative project space. If you can help, please email or call us at 0437 448 758.

"Jump Left" was inspired by an artwork of the same name created by Boris Cipusev, an artist based in Naarm, Melbourne.

Boris works at Arts Project Australia, a globally recognised supported studio and gallery. We wanted to embrace a name that resonated with artists and the public, conveyed intent and was easy to say, read and remember.

The subtitle "Art.Co.Lab" signals our engagement with the arts, affirming our focus on artistic endeavours. Broken down, "Co.Lab" expresses our deep commitment to collaborative practices, emphasising our approach.

"Lab" also implies that our enterprise functions as a dynamic space for exploring, experimenting and cultivating innovative concepts.

By including a name and subtitle, we demystify our purpose while providing a glimpse into our values and activities.

Yes, we are.

We decided on a “profit-for-purpose” model because it is a values-driven approach that combines financial profitability with a broader social purpose.

A profit-for-purpose business generates profits while actively addressing and contributing to societal or environmental challenges. The goal is to create a positive impact beyond financial gain. Within this framework, we are committed to positively impacting individuals and society.

We empower artists at the intersection of art and disability while driving broader social change. We lead with world-class, inclusive, and accessible frameworks, making the arts more equitable for artists to work and engage.

The business profits directly support Australian artists and broader arts and disability advocacy.

We operate an efficient, sustainable, lean model, channelling our resources into the enterprise to sustain ongoing support and advocacy for artists, collaborators and inclusive practices.

We are committed to generating profits that champion equitable, inclusive and accessible artistic ecosystems that benefit everyone.

Currently, Jump Left is an unregistered provider.

The NDIS Commission does not currently require NDIS providers to be registered, and we are monitoring the forthcoming changes to the NDIS over the next couple of years.

At present, unregistered providers can only deliver limited support and services: they are restricted to working with self-managed and plan-managed participants.

Despite being an unregistered provider, we are committed to assuring client safety and service quality by:

• Working above and beyond the NDIS Code of Conduct

• Undertaking the NDIS Worker Screening Check

• Obtaining a Working With Children Check

• Completing the Worker Orientation Module – ‘Quality, Safety and You’

• Completing relevant First Aid Training

The Code of Conduct requires that workers and providers who deliver NDIS supports:

• act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination, and decision-making in accordance with relevant laws and conventions,

• respect the privacy of people with disability,

• provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner with care and skill,

• act with integrity, honesty, and transparency,

• promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that might have an impact on the quality and safety of supports provided to people with disability,

• take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence, exploitation, neglect, and abuse of people with disability, and

• take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct.

Yes, we do.

Our conduct is based on kindness, mutual exchange and common sense.

We expect people to:

• Engage with us and others with respect and reciprocity,

• Treat us, users, peers and collaborators fairly and equally,

• Consider other people’s views and avoid personal attacks,

• Respect people’s artistic creations and individual rights,

• Do not plagiarise (copy) people’s artworks or writing, and

• Credit people for their artwork, ideas and writing if you share them.

Yes, you can.

Our policy is general and is reviewed and updated annually.

We abide by industry standards as well as state and federal regulations.

You can view the policy by clicking on this link.

Yes, we do.

Easy English is designed for people who have difficulty reading and understanding English. It combines text and images to convey information simply and directly.

The following information and publications are available in Easy English:

+ About Jump Left

There are several methods for covering the cost of our services:

• Out of pocket: You are responsible for covering costs in full.

• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS): A government-funded program that provides financial support for people with permanent and significant disabilities. It offers individualised support plans that cover a range of services, including therapy, assistive technology, and more. People can use their allocated funds to pay for services from registered providers.

• Consulting: Our consultancy services help to financially support the running of the broader enterprise so that we can deliver as many affordable programs and opportunities for artists as possible.

• Sponsorship: Projects may attract sponsorship to develop or deliver. If we think there are avenues for support, we will discuss this option.

• Grant Funding: Artists may apply for a grant to access services with the help of their family or other entities.

• Scholarship: Occasionally, we support creatives with a fully or partially funded scholarship place.

Find out more about our pricing, ways to pay, and funding support here.

Our professional development service is focused on artists 18+ who want to build a professional career in the arts. However, we also offer creative workshops for children to participate.

We believe that instilling solid connections with art and developing an art practice from a young age is essential to building confidence and creative aspirations for budding artists.

We want neurodivergent, disabled, learning and intellectually disabled children to explore and play and for children and their families to realise there are future career pathways in the arts and organisations that will support them.

An art studio providing a supportive and inclusive environment for artists with disabilities and diverse cognitive profiles.

Studios are designed to offer neurodivergent and disabled people the opportunity to engage in artistic expression. Supported studios focus on fostering artistic talent, personal growth and belonging for artists facing barriers in traditional art settings.

Studios provide technical and creative support, promote artists in the marketplace and within galleries and develop networks and audiences outside of health and social care settings.

Supported studios have been operating globally for over 50 years, are increasingly professionalised and are committed to producing and presenting work of high artistic quality.

We work with artists to develop one-off and short-term initiatives while maintaining an ongoing relationship that might involve numerous collaborations across various service offerings.

The consultancy and project space generates new commercial, experimental, and professional development opportunities across arts, disability, and access that we co-design with artists, studios, peers, industry professionals, businesses, and partners.

Most importantly, we welcome projects from artists, studios and industry.

Occasionally, artists may approach us to work with them on an ongoing basis, and we will consider each request individually.

Currently, we do not “represent” artists in the traditional sense.

Our model is more fluid than how a typical gallery or supported studio is structured. We generate opportunities for artists, supported studios, peers and partners to engage with us on one-off, short-term and longer-term national and global initiatives.

We empower artists with disabilities, offering accessible spaces, expertise and support to pursue creative aspirations without limitations while elevating inclusive, ambitious endeavours, propelling the arts towards global diversity, expansion and sustainability.

We may work with an artist once, occasionally or regularly—the frequency depends on the nature of the project, the level of engagement an artist wants or needs and the relationship we build.

A gallery or studio may already represent artists we work with, and we are experienced in liaising with artist’s representatives, families and support networks when required and desired.

Neurodivergent comes from the term neurodiversity, a movement advocating the necessity of a diverse range of cognitive profiles for humanity's flourishing.

Neurodiversity promotes inclusivity and acceptance, accommodating individuals with diverse cognitive profiles. This approach can lead to a better understanding, improved support systems, and the ability to harness the unique strengths individuals with neurodivergent characteristics can bring to all aspects of life, including education, work and society.

Neurodivergent people vary greatly, but they have one thing in common: their brains function differently from most people. Neurodivergent is sometimes shortened to “ND.”

Neurodivergence refers to the natural variations in individuals' neurological functioning and cognitive processing. It encompasses a diverse range of cognitive and neurological circumstances, including autism, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), dyslexia, Tourette's syndrome and more. Neurodivergence is based on the idea that neurological differences should be recognised, accepted and respected, like any aspect of human diversity.

Neurodiverse is a group of neurodivergent and neurotypical people.

We work with individuals, teams and organisations to co-develop and implement creative methods, practices, approaches and outcomes.

In this context, "inclusive working modes" refer to ways of working that promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

We work collaboratively to make creative environments and processes more welcoming and accommodating to a diverse range of people. Our approach is transparent, people-centred and framed by respect and reciprocity.

They are traditions or customs in which individuals, families and communities expect mutual exchange, cooperation and sharing.

These practices often foster community, social cohesion and mutual support. We encourage broad participation from artists and their support networks, encourage peer and partner ideas and involvement and acknowledge that creating and promoting art to global audiences takes a nuanced arts ecology for artists to succeed.