Prism Arts Exhibiting Across The North This Spring

Prism Arts, a disability arts organisation based in Carlisle, has announced that two of its studio artists — Emma Evans and Stuart Irving — are currently exhibiting work at major galleries across the north of England. The exhibitions, running through spring 2026, highlight the breadth and ambition of the creative work emerging from Prism Arts and the artists it supports.

Emma Evans' large-scale acrylic painting Ripping Off has been selected for the ArtWorks Together 2026 International Exhibition at the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield. The exhibition, organised by ArtWorks South Yorkshire, runs from 24 January to 31 May 2026 and brings together over 70 works by artists from around the world. It celebrates the creative achievements of adult artists who have a learning disability, are autistic, or both, providing a global platform to artists with under-represented voices.

Emma's work uses a distinctive layering process: each painting begins with an underpainting, onto which layers of paint are applied over masking tape. The tape is then removed to reveal the sections beneath, creating bold contrasts of colour, texture and form. Ripping Off is part of an ongoing series in which each piece evokes a different feeling, and the selection marks a significant moment in her artistic journey.

Similarly, Prism Arts studio artist Stuart Irving opens his first solo exhibition, Light – Shape – Distance, at Brewery Arts in Kendal on 6 February 2026. The exhibition runs through to 2 May and is free to attend. It follows Stuart's Judge's Choice Award win at the Brewery Arts Open last spring and presents an ambitious body of abstract paintings developed with support from the Prism Arts studio.

Stuart's paintings reimagine natural landscapes and architectural spaces as dreamlike environments, balancing naturalistic colour palettes with vivid fluorescent accents. Drawing on influences from Turner to Kandinsky, the work is nonetheless distinctly his own — modern, bold, and deeply atmospheric.

Together, the two exhibitions reflect Prism Arts' ongoing commitment to nurturing creative talent and removing barriers to participation in the arts. Both Emma and Stuart have developed their practices within the Prism Arts studio, and their success on a wider stage is a testament to what can be achieved when artists are given the right support and space to work.

Exhibition 1: ArtWorks Together 2026 International Exhibition
Featuring Ripping Off by Emma Evans
Venue: Millennium Gallery, Sheffield
Dates: 24 January – 31 May 2026
Entry: Free
Exhibition 2: Light – Shape – Distance by Stuart Irving
Venue: Brewery Arts, Kendal (Foyer Gallery)
Dates: 6 February – 2 May 2026
Opening hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 11am–7pm
Entry: Free