Britt Sutton is the president and CEO of ArtMix, a local nonprofit supporting people with and without disabilities in the Indianapolis art scene. Serving the community through core programs and additional special projects, Sutton is leading the organization as a lifelong disability rights advocate and proud person (and artist) with a disability. Her background in administrative law and policy composition give her a unique perspective on advocacy for people with disabilities and their families. Read on to learn more about Sutton and ArtMix!

It helps me advocate for the ArtMix community. Artists with disabilities have to battle more barriers than others due to lack of accessibility in the arts, income limitations set by Social Security and Medicaid, and much more. My background, and the fact that I also live life as a person with a disability, helps me to navigate these barriers for ArtMix and our artists as well as be a better advocate for the disability community.

I am incredibly proud of our team at ArtMix for the Better Together: ArtMix’s Snapshot of True Inclusion.  The exhibit features the work of 31 individual artists and 5 collaborative pieces by our Urban Artisans and Entrepreneur Artisans groups. The show includes artwork from ArtMix artists of all abilities and backgrounds ranging between the ages of 15 to 72!

After its successful run at the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields from October 11th to November 24th, 2024, we were finally able to showcase and sell the work on location at ArtMix in March of 2025. It was exciting to celebrate all of the artists and for many of them to make their first sales as independent, working artists. It is a joyful experience to watch artists with disabilities express their creativity, make a sale, and realize their talent and economic potential!

Photo: “Better Together: ArtMix’s Snapshot of Inclusion” at Newfields

I am biased, because I get to see art improve the quality of life for individuals every single day at ArtMix. However, one story that sticks out recently is that of a participant who is navigating life with a new diagnosis. ArtMix provides a space where she can come each week and she knows that she can share the highs and lows of her disability with a community of artists who understand her experience. This participant shared that she did not want to get out of bed in the morning, but having a space to come to and create every week has brought her great joy and motivated her to be more active in her day-to-day life. ArtMix benefits mental health and wellness for so many people in the disability community who feel isolated. We provide a valuable community and creative space. 

People should support and celebrate the disability community year round! One in every four Hoosiers is a person with a disability. People with disabilities frequent all of our arts organizations and our community events! I would love to see the readers of this Q+A take time to learn a bit more about accessibility this month. It can sometimes seem intimidating, but I promise the best thing to do is to invite a community of stakeholders with disabilities to provide you with their thoughts and honest feedback. Opening up the dialogue is one of the most effective things an arts organization can do to improve their accessibility practices. I also challenge everyone reading this to make a new, genuine friendship with someone who is part of the disability community. Research shows that the more broad our friendship circle is, the more equitable and inclusive we become. 

Photo: Artist Karen W. with her artwork at “Better Together: ArtMix’s Snapshot of Inclusion” at Newfields

There are too many to count! We have such a vibrant disability community in Indianapolis, so I apologize if I leave anyone from this list:

• Limitless Ability
• Self Advocates of Indiana
• AccessABILITY
• HANDS in Autism
• The Arc of Indiana
• The Indiana Institute on Disability and Community
• Indiana Disability Resource Finder

Photo: The ArtMix team at “Better Together: ArtMix’s Snapshot of Inclusion” at Newfields