The Exquisite Familiar
Welcome to The Exquisite Familiar — an exciting, collaborative art project that brings together disabled artists of different ages, art forms, and experiences to create, experiment, and grow their digital skills.
In this interactive, multi-artform project, artists develop their own ‘Exquisite Familiar’ — a creature inspired by the Exquisite Corpse art method — to explore and express experiences of disability, access, and inclusion. Drawing on folklore, where familiars are mystical beings that protect and guide their owners, our artists use these creatures as metaphors for the supports and barriers faced by people with disability.
In 2026, The Exquisite Familiar will be presented in Minlaton, in partnership with Enabling Country Hub and Country Arts SA, as part of a regional iteration on the Yorke Peninsula.
Participants will need to be available to attend the workshops either in-person or online .
The online introduction will be held on Thursday 29th January, and the in-person workshop will be held in Minlaton on Thursday 5th February.
All participating artists will be paid for their artworks.
If you’re interested in taking part, you can register below.
Not an artist? Click here to view our community workshops EOI.
The project began with an exhibition in The Studio at the Art Gallery of South Australia in December 2022, launched for the International Day of People with Disability. The digital showcase featured continually shifting screens of our artists’ creations, inviting visitors to explore and even design their own Exquisite Familiar on-site.
In 2023, two technology-based workshops were held at MOD., where artists expanded their creative practice by experimenting with accessible digital tools. Their works were further transformed with music composed during DJ TR!P’s workshop — merging visual art, sound, and technology in playful and innovative ways.
Most recently in 2025, The Exquisite Familiar was also exhibited at the Weaners Flat Progress Hall on Stansbury Road, Yorketown, as part of Grounded Festival and SALA Festival.
Image: A schoolgirl in a darkly lit room facing a large, portrait screen containing colourful illustrations.
Artist Expressions of Interest for the upcoming Exquisite Familiar project held in the Yorke Peninsula. After the workshops, a final exhibition of artwork created in those workshops will take place. Artists will be paid to participate in this project and will be invited to take part in workshops online and in person.
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