I was also able to act as a per-to-peer support co-ordinator for the Beyond Showcase and this gave me so much valuable insight into different accommodations that need to be made for different disabilities and how to advocate both for myself and others when it comes to access requirements.

In addition to this, in the last three years I have gone on to do the following:

·        Becoming an Art Agent for Manchester’s leg of British Art Show 9 which included me creating an installation challenging the Vagrancy Act, ‘Where Have You Slept?’ and worked with Office of Craig on a complementary poster campaign.

·        Taken ‘Where Have You Slept?’ and an accompanying workshop to HOME gallery, the Turnpike Gallery and into schools.

·        Becoming involved with DANC and Triple C, firstly writing last year’s Christmas advert about an Autistic boy who wants to access a neurodiverse-friendly Father Christmas grotto and currently as a member of their ‘People Who Experience Racism’ focus group.

·        Becoming involved with BBC Radio Manchester’s Upload Show, having had my poetry played on air, been interviewed over the telephone and in the studio and my videos added to their website.

·        Started a paid training course in journalism with the Traveller’s Times, leading to the publication of several articles, including one in ‘The Vegetarian’, (the Vegetarian Society’s magazine) and getting into podcasting, joining the NUJ and getting my press card.

·        Becoming a core member of Girl Gang Manchester, establishing and running their monthly writers’ group, ‘Write Here, Right Now’ and performing and facilitating at several of our events.

·        Creating an interactive neurodiverse-friendly art installation, ‘Making Sense’ which I have taken to two festivals so far and have future bookings for.

·        Being a Lead Artist on the Turnpike’s ‘A New Exchange’ programme where I worked with a fellow neurodiverse artist to create and lead a series of workshops and a showing with Autistic young people.

·        Getting a bursary to attend London International Mime Festival 2023 and train with ‘Told By An Idiot’.

·        Taking part in Naked Production’s ‘Indie Development Scheme’ for which I was mentored to create a BBC Radio 3 podcast pitch which is being submitted into the next round for ‘Between The Ears’.

·        Starting the Arts And Homelessness International ‘Associate Leadership Programme’ for which I will be creating and performing with an installation protesting hostile architecture, ‘Hostile Interior Design’ at Theatre Deli in November.

·        Starting the CRIPtic ‘Reach!’ programme during which I have written a bilingual play with music, ‘Rollercoaster Dai’ about the Gypsy fortune-telling women of Victorian-era Blackpool.

·        Starting the ‘L.S. Lowry Cultural Comedy Tours’ course with the Lowry and BBC Comedy in which I will write and perform a comedic guide to a Lowry painting.

·        Being represented by Mad Dog 2020 casting, starting to do some supporting artist work in film and television and joining Equity.

·        Having my poetry chapbook about the history of Roma people and my every-day life, ‘1000 Years’, published by Bent Key in January 2024.

·        Performed poetry and comedy and lead a number of one-off workshops all over the North.

So I’ve been a bit busy over the last three years and I can honestly thank Graeae for instilling me with the confidence to go for so many different opportunities and to not beat myself up too much when I’m knocked back.

Finally, an unexpected but wonderful outcome from all of this brings me full circle to my main impetus to pursue creativity again, family. My son Tommy, who is now eleven, has been able to be a part of this with me. He is Autistic and has been welcomed with open arms by everyone I’m working with, from being included in an Art Agents trip to see BAS9 in Plymouth to having his name included in my museum label at the Turnpike after he helped out with some family workshops. As a Romany Gypsy, family business is so important and all of my immediate family are creatives in one way or another. It’s been amazing to bring him along for the ride and to show him how accepting, supportive and accommodating the arts is to disabled folks like us.

My advice for people looking to get into the industry would just be, go for it! Sign up to as many mailing lists for job opportunities as you can find, regularly search different databases, follow social media accounts that collate opportunities in your areas of interest and part of the world, attend online or in-person groups and open events with business cards to pass out, make sure you have a website or Instagram with lots of photographs and videos of your work and keep in mind that if you get a rejection, it’s not personal, (this can be hard!) and there will always be something on the horizon that’s perfect for you!