Mahla Karimiyan is an accomplished visual artist and community arts worker. Her visual arts practice is based around classical Persian scratchboard and professional photography. Since arriving in Australia in 2013, Mahla has exhibited in The Ownership Project, Abbotsford Convent, Library at The Dock, and the Walker Street Gallery, where she was a finalist in the 2016 Home and Art Prize. Mahla is President of Melbourne Artists for Asylum and coordinated its community art workshops at Siteworks during 2018. She has collaborated with Youbi Lee on the Migrant Mothers Art Classes in 2019 and Asylum Silk Road Project in 2017 and is developing a community arts space in Melbourne’s northern suburbs. Mahla is committed to developing and sharing her visual arts practice through collaborating with individuals and organisations who support diverse communities.