12/10/2026
WHERE ARE ALL THE SPACES WHERE EVERYONE BELONGS? ❤️
Not just spaces that say they’re inclusive. But spaces where you actually see that inclusion.
Where you see Blak people, brown people 👌🏽👌🏿, people from different cultures, people with disabilities, people of all ages, identities and walks of life — sharing the same room, the same experiences, the same opportunities to connect.
Even naming these differences can feel uncomfortable or controversial these days.
What I felt (for me anyway, as an immigrant and South Asian woman), I don’t go into spaces I don’t know.. so maybe we need to first have an invitation and something that assures me they they are mindful of my needs.
Secondly,
Before anything else, we are human.
We all want to be loved.
- belong.
- be seen, heard and respected.
- need friendships, connection, intimacy, joy and the freedom to participate in life.
And we all deserve access to spaces where those things are possible.
Recently, I had the privilege of MCing an event with Able Shine, surrounded by some extraordinary people with disabilities.
And something struck me.
Why don’t we see more people with disabilities in our everyday social spaces?
Not just at disability expos, specialised programs or events created specifically for them. Those absolutely have their place and serve an important purpose.
But what about everyday life?
Where do people of different abilities go to make friends with people of all abilities?
Where can they experience wellness, culture, art, music alongside everyone else?
Where are the opportunities for spontaneous friendships, conversations and community?
And what about dating?
Where can someone with a disability comfortably go on a first date? Meet someone new? Experience romance, connection and intimacy without feeling that the world wasn’t designed with them in mind?
These are questions I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.
And perhaps the answer isn’t always to create more separate events.
Perhaps it’s to make the spaces we already have more welcoming, accessible and inclusive and WELCOMING (aka we need to extend our community invitations to these other communities we ordinarily don’t see to welcome them).
At Artful Yoga Gallery, we’re a small not-for-profit doing our best to rethink what a gallery can be.
So we’re making a start. 🌱
👇🏽 THE ART OF BELONGING
We’re introducing a social art experience designed to bring people of different abilities and backgrounds together through creativity, conversation and connection.
No pressure to be an artist. No expectation to be anything other than yourself.
Just an opportunity to create, connect and share space.
We’re collaborating with Able Shine as our support partners to help us begin this journey.
And we’re running this alongside our Turn Up Fridays initiative, where we open our gallery for creatives, entrepreneurs and community members to work, collaborate and connect, with free and donation-based coworking opportunities. Thanks to support by Palais Theatre
NOW, AN INVITATION TO ST KILDA BUSINESSES AND OUR WIDER COMMUNITY.
We would love to hear from local cafés, restaurants, bars, wellness studios, creative spaces, businesses, community organisations and individuals who want to help make St Kilda a place where more people can participate.
Perhaps you have a space you could offer for a small group to experience.
Perhaps you could host an accessible social gathering, creative activity or wellness experience.
Perhaps you have lived experience, professional expertise, resources or ideas that could help us understand how to do this better.
Even small, thoughtful changes can open doors that have been closed to someone for years.
And I want to be transparent about something.
We don’t have all the answers.
We’re learning. We’re listening. And while our intentions are strong, we recognise that genuine inclusion takes more than good intentions.
It takes knowledge, resources, accessibility, collaboration and, most importantly, listening to the people whose experiences we’re trying to better accommodate.
We also recognise that our own venue has accessibility limitations, and we want to work towards practical improvements rather than make promises we cannot yet fulfil.
As someone pioneering a different approach to merging art, wellness and community, I would personally love your feedback, guidance and support.
Especially from people with lived experience of disability, their families, carers, advocates and those working in inclusive community development.
Because inclusion shouldn’t mean creating a separate world for people to belong in. It should mean creating a world where fewer people are left out in the first place.
With love and purpose,
Neha
Founder | Artful Yoga Gallery
Art meets soul. ❤️
📍 St Kilda, Naarm/Melbourne
More info: https://www.artfulyoga.com.au/menu/whatson
