More Than Art: The Original Stories Hanging in Every Prize Home

Every Endeavour Lotteries Prize Home has something truly one of a kind hanging on its walls: two bespoke artworks, created especially for that home by artists with intellectual disability at Endeavour Foundation’s QArt Studio in Melbourne.

These pieces are not picked from a gallery or purchased from an online store. They are original commissions, shaped by the colours, location, feeling and personality of each Prize Home, then brought to life by talented artists whose work deserves to be seen.

And when you buy a ticket in an Endeavour Lotteries Prize Home, you are helping create more opportunities like this: meaningful work, professional recognition and a source of income for artists with intellectual disability.

Overhead view of a QArt Studio artist painting an original artwork on canvas using colourful dot patterns and acrylic paints

From Mood Board to Masterpiece 

Every artwork starts long before the paint touches the canvas.

Working alongside Endeavour Lotteries’ award-winning interior designer Kate Cooper, the QArt Studio team receives a creative brief for every Prize Home. Gordon Hayward, Manager of QArt Studio explains:

"Rather than working in isolation, artists are guided by a storyboard or mood board developed by Kate Cooper, which includes colour palettes, themes and the overall vision for each room. This helps set a direction while still leaving plenty of space for the artist's own interpretation and creative voice.

From there, studio supervisors work closely with the artists throughout the process, supporting and shaping the work as it develops. They also communicate with Endeavour Lotteries’ Creative Director, Heather Westwood, to ensure the artwork aligns with the needs of the home and the intended spaces, helping to refine details so the final pieces feel cohesive and well-suited to each room."

Then comes the fun part as the artists make it their own, as Gordon adds:

"The artists are given a creative direction, but every artwork reflects the individuality of the artist. The result is a balance between the home's story and the artist's own interpretation."

Gordon standing inside QArt Studio surrounded by original artworks, canvases and creative workspaces

Made for This Home

Before a Prize Home opens its doors to visitors, every artwork has already found its place.

Some pieces echo the colours of the room, others reflect the landscape or the feeling the designers want people to experience.

They're not there to fill an empty wall, they're there to become part of the home, as Gordon says:

"The artworks are not treated as decoration, but as pieces with presence and meaning."

Every piece reflects the creativity and unique perspective of the artist behind it.

That’s what makes every Prize Home feel truly one of a kind.

QArt Studio artist working alongside a studio supervisor (Gordon) on an original painting in the Melbourne art studio

Every Ticket Tells a Bigger Story

Every Endeavour Lotteries ticket purchased contributes funding to Endeavour Foundation’s inclusive employment programs, helping people with intellectual disability build skills, earn a wage and grow in confidence. This Prize Home artwork program with QArt Studio is one of the many ways that purpose comes to life.

Behind every artwork is an artist with their own creative style, ideas and perspective.

QArt Studio gives artists with intellectual and physical disability the opportunity to build professional careers, develop their skills and see their work celebrated in homes across Australia. 

That balance between creative direction and artistic freedom is what makes every commission so special, as Gordon adds:

"What results is a balance between guidance and freedom: artworks that are thoughtfully connected to a specific environment, while still carrying the individuality, style and expression of each artist."

Every commission is more than a painting. It's meaningful, paid work, professional recognition and the chance for an artist's creativity to be seen by thousands of Prize Home visitors each year, before being owned and cherished by one lucky winner.

Perhaps even more importantly, it's an opportunity for artists to be recognised for what they are: talented professionals. As Gordon puts it:

"Sometimes the biggest change is internal: how they see themselves. Not just as someone making art in a supported environment, but as an artist whose work belongs in the world and is valued by others."

Group of QArt Studio artists smiling and posing together in their Melbourne studio, surrounded by colourful artworks and painting materials

More Than a Beautiful Home

The next time you see an Endeavour Lotteries Prize Home, take a moment to look beyond the furniture and designer finishes.

The artwork wasn't simply chosen to fill an empty wall. It was created especially for that home by an artist whose talent deserves to be seen.

Your ticket helps create meaningful paid work, professional recognition and real purpose for artists with intellectual disability.

That's a pretty special story to hang on the wall.