Recipe for a Good Life [2019]

​What it means to live a ‘good life’ is one of the oldest philosophical questions. Ancient thinkers like Plato, Aristotle and Kant once made the question of the ‘good life’ central to their philosophy. Yet despite such extensive study, what does a ‘good life’ mean for the lives of people with learning disabilities? Who decides on what a ‘good life’ is and why has it proved so difficult for people with learning disabilities to live one? 
 
This arts exhibition at The Brindley was curated Leah Jones. Leah is a self-advocate and person with Down Syndrome who runs her own business called Positive You. The exhibition featured artworks created during a series of participatory workshops across 2018 where self-advocates, special schools, disability professionals, families and carers came together to explore their ‘ingredients’ for what living a ‘good life’ means to them. 

I facilitated Leah to curate this exhibition, supporting her from exhibition research through to delivery using my own 'inclusive curating' process.

Leah Jones said:
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I decided to curate this exhibition as I want to move conversations on from people with learning disabilities living a ‘good enough’ life, which often is a life with few choices and opportunities, to them living an extraordinary one. I learnt that we all have our own special ‘recipe’ for what makes us happy in our lives. Whilst we often share common ingredients such as relationships, good health and a sense of purpose, ultimately, our recipes for a good life are unique.