Who Can Join

Anyone who has lost the use of their hands or was born without hands and paints by holding the brush in their mouth or with their feet can join MFPA.

MFPA has three qualifying levels: Student Member, Associated Member and Full Member. The majority of artists are normally admitted as student members. To maintain consistently high standards, artists must attain a level of expertise that will satisfy the critical examination of a panel of assessors before they are promoted to a higher level.

The panel of assessors comprises the serving MFPA president or his/her delegate appointed from the MFPA’s managing board and two eminent non-disabled artists. When approved, the managing board can admit the new member or student subject to ratification by the members at the next delegates’ convention.

MFPA is constantly seeking promising new talent among disabled people who, perhaps, first take up painting as a form of therapy. In addition, MFPA follows up on news media reports identifying disabled painters previously unknown to the organization. The MFPA also invites the public to recommend potential members. 

Students are provided with a substantial grant to pay for tuition or a scholarship to an art college. Their work is periodically reviewed until they achieve a standard which enables them to be considered for promotion.