The Bella Room

Part of the Museum of Contemporary Art's National Centre for Creative Learning, the Bella Room (named for Jackson Bella) opened in 2012 with a mission to provide students with learning challenges with an interactive space tailor-made for their needs. The third-floor room hosts primary and high-school students for a free art-making program the MCA runs for children who have physical, emotional, behavioural and intellectual disabilities.

And unlike in other areas of the museum, touching and physically exploring the art is encouraged here.

Each year the room features an environment designed and produced by a different artist – so far, Brown Council (2014), Hiromi Tango (2013) and Emily Floyd (2012). The 2015 artist is David Capra, who has created an environment inspired by his pet dachshund Teena.

Sessions run 60-90 minutes on Mondays during the school term, or by appointment. To find out more, call MCA Learning on 02 9245 2400.

Image: David Capra, Teena's Bathtime, 2015, 3-channel video, sound, synthetic fur, vinyl, scent, bubbles, rubber flooring, cardboard, wood, foam, wire, found objects, commissioned by the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia for the Jackson Bella Room, 2015, image courtesy and © the artist.