We’re absolutely thrilled to introduce Sajida Asif as the talented artist we’ve commissioned to create our 25th anniversary artwork. Here’s why we’re excited to work with her, along with a little about Sajida herself.
A Personal Connection to Access
Sajida Asif knows exactly why Stagetext’s work matters, because she lives it every day.
Sajida became deafened in her left ear as a young child due to an ear infection and 13 years ago was told by doctors, she had lost all her hearing in the left ear as well as losing partial hearing in her other ear. Sajida also has severe tinnitus. This experience fundamentally changed how she navigated the world – suddenly, the theatre and arts experiences she’d always loved became inaccessible.
But through Stagetext she discovered captions and subtitles, and able to have those experiences back in her life. This personal understanding of the importance of access is one of the reasons why Stagetext commissioned her work.
“Texts, subtitles and theatre show captions have played a crucial role in my daily life since experiencing deafness,” Sajida explains. “These access support systems have allowed me to engage with and enjoy theatre and cinema again. That’s why I am so passionate about this project.”
From Teacher to Professional Artist
Sajida’s journey to becoming an artist wasn’t straightforward. Born in Birmingham, she first graduated with a degree in Psychology and spent years teaching before returning to what she calls her “lifelong passion of painting.”
After completing a Fine Art degree then a Masters in Fine Art, she took her work across the UK and internationally.
Her artwork has travelled from Amsterdam to Southampton, with recent highlights including a six-week solo exhibition at Winterbourne’s Coach House Gallery. She’s also exhibited at Direct Art Action Gallery and venues across Birmingham.
Creating Spaces of Peace
Her artistic style is deeply personal. Living with profound deafness and severe tinnitus, she seeks to “convey that sense of peace we can find in nature which is sometimes missing in our world.” Through her artwork, she creates “a place of peace we can enjoy and envisage ourselves in.”
“The underlying subject matter is always finding peace,” she reflects, “whether it is through a landscape painting or a surreal composition.”
Looking Ahead
The commissioned artwork will feature prominently in Stagetext’s anniversary campaign throughout 2025, appearing on merchandise and promotional materials before being auctioned to raise funds for the charity. The piece will be unveiled during Captioning Awareness Week in November 2025.
“By creating a unique piece of art, we want to firmly place Stagetext in the minds of all its past, present and future users and the cultural sector, By providing this opportunity we hope to raise awareness of deaf access and place it firmly at the centre of creative processes whether that be in visual art, theatre, opera or in museums.“ said Stagetext’s CEO, Melanie Sharpe.
“The arts are for everyone and shouldn’t exclude people whether to monetary constraints or lack of awareness. Over 25 years, our vision has stayed the same – ‘more access for more people’ but more importantly, we hope this ensures that deaf access to arts and culture becomes normalised over the next 25 years,” she added.
You can find out more about Sajida Asif on her art website.
If you’d like to support us by making a donation, visit our Donation page.
