People with mental disabilities are one of the population groups with the lowest quality of life. They depend on the solidarity of society. Depending on the degree of disability, they need varying degrees of help, from little support to general care. Due to reduced intellectual abilities, they have problems not only in perception, understanding and learning, but also in adaptive behavior. Their quality of life and the fulfillment of any rights, including the right to work, depend on the maturity of the society in which they live.

Art is a natural way of self-expression and personal development. That’s why we decided to focus on the artistic hobby of our friends with mental disabilities and founded the creative brand Hento Toto. It is based on the cooperation of our artists with professional artists and students (Collaborative Art), who work together on various products, which are then sold in stores in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Thanks to regular creative meetings, art workshops, but also trips for art, our artists develop personally and artistically, and what is very important, as full members of the work team, they are involved in the entire production and sales process.

–told Hento Toto draftsman Luke. 

Thanks to the support of the ACF – Slovakia Program, we can build an innovative model of work and social inclusion of people with mental disabilities (draftsmen) from the Hento Toto brand in order to turn their artistic hobby into work. We managed to expand our product portfolio, establish cooperation with various personalities of the art world and with new stores. An important project activity for us was the organization of an exhibition in the Pistori Palace in Bratislava, where we presented our artists for the first time to the lay and professional public.

From the large number of people at the opening, not only we were enthusiastic, but also the lessors of the exhibition spaces themselves. So many people have not been to the opening for a long time. People didn’t fit in the hall.

 – this is how the artist Lucinka perceived the exhibition.