People with learning disabilities do not have an archive in Portsmouth. Their heritage is at risk of being lost unless oral histories are preserved and recorded for future generations.

“We want to show people this is us… this is what we can do… this is what we want them to understand about what we have dealt with in our lives.” Emma, IAC Member.

Since 2022, This New Ground’s Portsmouth hub has created new opportunities for underrepresented adults with learning disabilities to engage with high-quality cultural experiences, creative activities and place-based community projects. In 2023, it established the Inclusive Arts Committee (IAC) in Portsmouth, made up of 12 learning-disabled ambassadors.

The Groundwork project is co-designed with the IAC, connecting members with their heritage, researching and preserving previously unheard institutional and community histories of people with learning disabilities in Portsmouth.

Groundwork has been made possible thanks to the support of Arts Council England, National Lottery Community Fund,  National Lottery Heritage Fund, Portsmouth City Council and Victorious Festival. Aspex Portsmouth and Crying Out Loud are delivery partners.

Groundwork and Crying Out Loud

Our Solent Programme Producer Lucy is part of the Groundwork‘s steering committee and we are developing connections between professional artists and the Inclusive Arts Committee (IAC). Together, they will collaborate during a week-long residency, using movement-based storytelling to creatively respond to the collected histories. These artistic responses will be captured and showcased at the Groundwork Festival in 2026, alongside open, movement-based workshops.

This project is part of Crying Out Loud’s Solent Creative Development and Creative Collaboration programmes.