Autism in Mind, Sunderland
This group had never worked together before, making the first sessions a brave step for everyone involved. Each participant brought strong creative skills in visual art and poetry, alongside distinct ways of seeing and expressing the world. The key was creating a flexible space where individuals could follow their own path into and often way beyond the suggestion of the task.
“Both of you have showed me how I can express myself without having to use words and how I still have a voice when I am non verbal. This course has been life changing for me”
As trust grew, we felt more confident to use more experimental creative approaches, and decided to dedicate one session to anger as a transformative emotion. This task grew from conversations about autism: the pressure to mask; the energy that takes; the need to be heard but not being allowed to have a voice and the frustration this creates. The resulting work shared unique experiences of autism; challenged myths and assumptions and showed vulnerability and power. For many, this confidence has extended beyond the project, with participants continuing to share their creative voices publicly and agreeing to continue to meet. As the participants began the group as strangers, their commitment to form a community was a beautiful sign of how far they’d come.