About us

Our Story

Art from the Margins (AFTM) began as a program to support homeless artists. The idea was born in a Brisbane park beside a coffee van when a member of the Albert Street Uniting Church’s Servant Network was talking with Austin Hellier, an artist living in isolation. Austin spoke about the challenges confronting homeless artists who wanted to display their work to the public. He asked questions like how could he participate in the wider arts community?

Wesley Mission Queensland made the commitment to support artists whose creative development was limited by homelessness, disability, disadvantage or social isolation, and from there, Art from the Margins was created.

Austin's dream was realised when he exhibited in the first Art from the Margins exhibition in the Albert Street Uniting Church, which was part of the 2008 Brisbane Festival. In 2014, the Art from the Margins Brisbane Festival Art Exhibition attracted over 400 entries from 280 artists – the biggest number of participants in AFTM's history.

Now, Art from the Margins (AFTM) is a non-profit creative initiative of Wesley Mission Queensland. Our aim is to demonstrate our commitment to a just, compassionate and inclusive society.