HERALBONY Expands Partnerships with Studios in Europe and the US to 10 Locations

HERALBONY is pleased to announce that the number of partnership agreements with overseas welfare facilities has surpassed ten. The breakdown includes three facilities in France; two each in Germany and Belgium; and one facility each in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and the United States, bringing the total to eleven partner facilities.

With the mission “Radiate Your Colors,” HERALBONY aims to change perceptions of disability. In July 2024, the company established its European subsidiary, HERALBONY EUROPE, in Paris, France. Based at Station F—one of the world’s largest startup hubs—HERALBONY is expanding its business across Europe.

Alongside its overseas business development, HERALBONY has been actively expanding its partnerships with artists around the world. With a deep respect for different cultures, each member has engaged directly with local welfare facilities and pursued ongoing dialogue, resulting in the realization of more than ten new partnerships. Some of these artists have already been featured in HERALBONY products.

France｜A92

One of the rare ESATs that enables people with psychosocial disabilities to pursue artistic creation as “work.” The works of the affiliated artist, Hélène Dum., were also selected for Japan Air Lines paper cups, distributed from December 2025.

Official websites｜https://www.esat-france.eu/creation-artistique/

Germany｜Die Schlumper

An artists’ group based in Hamburg, Germany, founded by Rolf Laute in 1980. Currently, the position of Artistic Director is held by Anna-Karoline Pongs-Laute, the daughter of the founder, who grew up witnessing her father’s sincere dedication to working with artists. The group is now made up of about 30 talented artists with disabilities, each with their unique creative styles, and it has earned international acclaim. Scarves featuring works by affiliated artist Thorsten Raab are currently on sale as HERALBONY’s in-house products as of December 2025.

Official websites｜https://www.schlumper.de/

HERALBONY online store product page｜https://heralbony.com/blogs/artists/thorstenraab

US｜Creative Explored

An art studio where Harriet Salmon, a juror for the HERALBONY Art Prize, serves as Director of Art Partnerships. Based in San Francisco, the studio has over 40 years of history. San Francisco is widely recognized as a center of disability welfare and disability rights activism in the United States, and Creativity Explored’s activities have grown within this social context. Today, the studio supports approximately 140 artists and manages a collection of over 30,000 artworks.

Official websites｜https://www.creativityexplored.org/

Netherlands | Pura Vida

An art studio founded in 2017 by Joke and John Winters. It is characterized by large-scale, powerful works created through collaboration among multiple artists. The studio is a lively, welcoming space where even staff members’ families and friends regularly come and go, creating a dynamic exchange of energy. Within this vibrant atmosphere, artworks of striking presence are continuously brought to life.

Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puravidakunst/

Spain | Debajo del Sombrero

Founded in 2007 by six professionals with extensive experience in the fields of art and intellectual disability, Debajo del Sombrero is based at Matadero Madrid, a leading contemporary art center located in the heart of the city. Its mission is to position the creators’ expressions firmly within the context of contemporary art, while proposing new ways of thinking and understanding. Highly regarded for the artistic quality of its work, the organization actively engages in exhibitions and projects across Europe, Asia and South America, earning wide recognition for its innovative and dynamic practice.

Official websites｜https://www.debajodelsombrero.org/

Italy｜BRIKKE BRAKKE

Founded in Livorno in 1997, the Brikke Brakke social cooperative promotes professional integration for disadvantaged individuals. In partnership with the USL Toscana Nord Ovest, it manages the workshops at the Blu Cammello Day Center, where approximately 150 mental health service users engage in artistic and artisanal programs. These activities are led by qualified art mentors and a creative director.

The cooperative also maintains an extensive Outsider Art archive, documenting its deep connection to the movement. This collection features works by internationally recognized “irregular” artists and cooperative members, including Riccardo Sevieri (1960–2025) and Manuela Sagona (b. 1977).

Official websites｜https://www.atelierblucammello.org/atelier/

Belgium | STUDIO BORGERSTEIN

Founded in 2009, Studio Borgerstein is one of the largest art studios in Belgium dedicated to artists with disabilities. It is currently home to 23 artists. Surrounded by a spacious, nature-rich environment, the works created there are marked by a sense of freedom and evoke an atmosphere distinctive to Europe.

Official websites｜https://fr.studioborgerstein.be/studio

Germaly｜Atelier Goldstein

Founded in 2001 with the aim of representing contemporary artists who face barriers to the mainstream art industry, the organization is characterized by its strong artistic guidance, enabling artists to develop their own visual languages. Its work has been highly recognized within the European art world, including participation in Documenta and inclusion in the German Federal Contemporary Art Collection.

Official websites｜https://www.atelier-goldstein.de/en/

Belgium｜Creahmbxl

Intended for adults with intellectual disabilities, these workshops provide an environment conducive to creative work, allowing each participant to develop and affirm their talents. Guided by artist-facilitators, participants receive attentive pedagogical support when needed. Movement between workshops, as well as experimentation with different techniques, is actively encouraged.

Official websites｜https://www.creahmbxl.be/

As HERALBONY begins to fully expand its operations in Europe, one conviction has become increasingly clear. What HERALBONY brings to the world is not merely services or products, but the encounter with artists themselves. Only by refining and staying true to this core belief can our work truly cross borders.

At HERALBONY, our role is to carefully receive each artist’s thoughts, life story, and creative background, and to serve as a bridge connecting them to society. Reaffirming this purpose—both for our clients and for those who experience and cherish these works—is something we reflect on every day.

This initiative is a journey with no shortcuts. At times, it unfolds with the involvement of artists’ families and supporters, and it is always built patiently over time. At the foundation of everything lies trust. While the circumstances surrounding people with disabilities may differ from country to country, the essence of their experiences remains largely the same. To be entrusted with artworks that have been nurtured and protected through many challenges, there is no alternative but to meet as individuals, engage in sincere dialogue, and build trust person by person.

HERALBONY EUROPE is by no means a large team. Even so, we have visited each partner facility in person, spending time together and forming partnerships through steady, trust-based relationships.

The number “ten” will soon grow to twenty, fifty, and one hundred. Yet we will never forget the trust and the feelings of those who have entrusted us with their art. With this responsibility in mind, we will continue to move forward, step by step.

Through the art gathered in this way, new encounters are created, giving rise to moments of surprise and deep emotion. By doing so, we aim to transform the concept of “disability” itself, and ultimately help create a world in which every individual is respected and affirmed as a unique human being, in all their diversity.