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A New Dawn

A New Dawn is a community art project created by artist and educator Vida Baradarannia, founder of SkyBlueAcademy.

Established in 2025, the project was created to empower people through creativity, art, and design, with no previous artistic experience required.

Open to people from all backgrounds, the project particularly supports neurodivergent individuals, including autistic adults, alongside refugees, students and members of the wider community. Through workshops and collaborative creative activities, participants are encouraged to build confidence, self-expression, practical artistic skills and social connections within a supportive environment.

Developed in collaboration with Middlesex University London and Barnet Mencap, the project aims to bridge creativity and employability by introducing participants to textured relief painting, decorative wall design and artistic surface treatments connected to real-world creative practice.

The project follows a practical approach that includes building partnerships, delivering workshops, organising exhibitions and creating pathways towards professional opportunities and sustainable employment. Its long-term vision is to transform creativity into empowerment by helping participants gain visibility, experience and confidence through meaningful artistic engagement.

The artworks presented in this exhibition are the outcome of workshops held at Middlesex University and Barnet Mencap, alongside a solo collection of works by Vida Baradarannia. Using textured and relief painting techniques, the exhibition explores themes of hope, transformation, inclusion, identity and human connection.

A New Dawn is not only an art project but a growing platform for empowerment, collaboration and social impact, demonstrating how creativity can become a bridge between communities and opportunities.

Discover the Vida Baradarannia Collection on Instagram.