Lincolnshire artist and disability activist Jason Wilsher-Mills awarded honorary doctorate by Loughborough University

Jason Wilsher-Mills was honoured during a graduation ceremony on Wednesday (July 16) in recognition of his many achievements in the world of art and work as a disability activist.

Mr Wilsher-Mills was joined by hundreds of art and design students receiving their degrees from Chancellor of the University, Lord Sebastian Coe, Olympic gold medallist and President of the International Association of Athletics Federations, as well as International Olympic Committee member.

Jason said afterwards: “It was a great honour to receive the honorary doctorate from Loughborough University, which came hot on the heels after my MBE.

"What made the day even more special was the fact that I got to receive the doctorate from Lord Seb Coe, as he has played a pivotal role in my life. On the day of my diagnosis, of the condition which left me in a wheelchair, way back in 1980, I was literally watching him run the men’s 1,500 Metre final at the Moscow Olympics. It was such a life changing moment that I created a whole exhibition about it last year at the Wellcome Collection in London.”

He recalled that Lord Coe’s shirt number was 254, and drew the fateful parallel with that moment as he was being diagnosed between 2.50pm and 3pm on August 1, 1980. He said at that moment his creativity was born. Coming from a working class family, the youngest of eight children, he was encouraged after his diagnosis to read books and create art. He had been unlikely to live beyond 16 but is now 56 years old and “still going”.

He added: “The honorary doctorate was also special as it was awarded for my services to art and disability activism.”

In his address, Sam Grogan, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Student Experience, explained Jason was born in Wakefield and at the age of 11, contracted chickenpox. The virus

attacked his central nervous system, leaving him with a lifelong disability and using a wheelchair.

Mr Grogan said: “With humour and a palette inspired by the childhood comic books he read in the 1970s, he tells stories that are serious and challenging.

“Using cutting-edge technology to create brightly coloured psychedelic sculptures, augmented and virtual reality, and digital painting, he celebrates disability and activism, as well as his northern working-class heritage, popular culture and social history. His works are as joyful as they are thought-provoking.

“Among his most striking pieces is a 10-metre-long inflatable sculpture inspired by the national Changing Places campaign, which advocates for fully accessible toilets. He also created a commemorative artwork for the House of Commons to mark the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act, drawing inspiration from his own experience when trying to watch a Jaws double bill at the cinema.”

Jason’s work has been exhibited around the world, including at the highly prestigious Venice Biennale in 2024 and won numerous awards.

"At the exact second his parents were told that Jason might not live to adulthood, Sebastian Coe, our Chancellor here today, was crossing the finish line to win gold at the 1980 Olympics,” said Mr Grogan. “That moment, so full of contrast and symbolism, is immortalised in one of his sculptures. It’s a reminder of how life’s most difficult moments can also be the most defining.”

Through his art, Jason champions disability by tackling pressing issues of accessibility and inclusion head on.

A passionate disability rights activist, he has worked with communities across the UK using art as a tool for empowerment and inclusion. He is a mentor, a public speaker, and a tireless advocate for accessibility in the arts and beyond.

Jason has also been working closely with researchers at the university to explore inclusion for disabled young people.