In honour of April being Autism Acceptance Month, we wanted to gather some resources that relate to autism and neurodiversity broadly.
First, we want to clarify the difference between awareness and acceptance. Autism Awareness Month began as a way to inform the public about autism and the experiences of autistic people. Over the years, there has been a shift from using the term autism awareness to autism acceptance. Autistic people who felt that their voices should be the ones being considered, not the voices of organisations, initiated this shift. Furthermore, autistic individuals felt that they should be treated with greater autonomy and respect, often referring to the phrase, nothing about us without us. Acceptance calls for equal rights for autistic people and ensuring that autistic people are at the centre of conversations about autism.Â
As a result, we use the term Autism Acceptance Month.Â
Access All Areas
Access All Areas (AAA) is an award-winning production company that platforms performances by learning disabled and autistic artists. AAA works with a company of Associate Artists who work towards cultural inclusion across TV, film, and theatre. All work that is created and produced by AAA is co-led by Access All Areas’ learning disabled and autistic artists embedding their lived experience at the heart of the work. Learn more about Access All Areas and their artists.
BLINK
First, we would like to highlight BLINK, a dance theatre group. BLINK is led by four neurodiverse artists who create performances and facilitate together. Graeae previously collaborated with BLINK and A New Direction on the “I am” festival in 2020.BLINK creates innovative performances that are BSL integrated, relaxed (meaning that people can come and go as they need, make noise, and move around), and offer additional access resources.
Their most recent production, ELVIS DIED OF BURGERS, toured throughout the UK. ELVIS DIED OF BURGERS explored the performer’s relationship with food and the sensory process of eating. Find out more on their website. BLINK also provides professional training in inclusive facilitation, relaxed performance/venue training, sensory storytelling and more.
Additionally, BLINK holds accessible workshops for students who are interested in dance and drama.
Testimonial
The industry needs to listen to autistic voices and amplify them, ‘nothing about us without us’ is still so prevalent today.
Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
“The Autistic Self Advocacy Network seeks to advance the principles of the disability rights movement with regard to autism.” ASAN provides resources to autistic people and organisations who are trying to make society more inclusive.ASAN has also created several online resources which teach about autism acceptance, including an online book. ASAN’s resources are broad and cover a variety of social justice issues, visit their resources page for more information.
Disability and… Neurodiversity Podcast
In September 2021, the Disability and podcast’s Colin Hambrook interviewed neurodiverse artist Mike Faulkner. Check out the podcast and transcript.
Autism Acceptance Month History
To learn more about the history of Autism Acceptance Month, please check out Alaina Leary’s post on Rooted in Rights. The post explains the history of the month, links to additional articles on the importance of autism acceptance in society, and explains a bit about the activism that is done within the autistic community.
One Fest
One Fest is a week-long arts and culture festival in Mansfield that has been created to remove the stigma and isolation faced by learning disabled and autistic people. The festival brings together professional performers and creatives to host community workshops and performances. The end of the festival is marked with a protest through Mansfield that gives learning disabled and autistic people a platform to express what they want from society. You can learn more on their website.
Square Pegs Arts
Square Pegs Arts, founded in 2005, was established to create and inclusive and kind space for learning disabled, autistic and neurodivergent people to gain experience in the arts. Square Pegs is comprised of a theatre company, drama groups, a film club, and ongoing music projects to ensure that there is something for everyone. You can learn more about Square Pegs Arts on their website.
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Testimonial
Theatre companies like Graeae... encourage inclusive working environments for disabled and neurodivergent theatre makers.
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