Happy Neurodiversity Week 2025 (and some other thoughts)
Happy Neurodiversity Week 2025 (and some other thoughts)
Thursday 20 March 2025
Happy Neurodiversity Week folks. Although…happy during these times we’re living in seems a push. So, in solidarity this neurodiversity week, folks.
I always overthink my writing, so this is a collection of some of the many things rattling through my brain this week.
A year ago, at the start of Neurodiversity Week, I launched The Radical Joy of Unmasking—a residency, exhibition and creative play space - a project I created for my final Master’s project. I had started researching Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (and came across this alternative version for ADHDERS- and it became so clear to me why I have found my own creative wellbeing so challenging; stuck in survival mode as a freelancer and a carer, masking neurodivergency.
Historically excluded people face many systemic barriers and are more likely to have their basic needs unmet, making it significantly harder to access creative wellness. For example, ADHD itself already presents challenges but when compounded by discrimination, lack of inclusion, and financial instability, these challenges intensify. Without reliable access to healthcare, safe and stable housing, or supportive environments, individuals may remain stuck in survival mode, unable to prioritise creative expression. Creative wellness can for many require a foundation of safety, self-acceptance, and autonomy—things that are often harder to attain for those excluded from society. As a result, the very people who could benefit most from creative outlets may find them the least accessible, perpetuating cycles of stress and disempowerment.
Unmasking can be joyful, but it’s also complex and challenging. I wanted to create something meaningful, not just for myself but for others navigating similar experiences. So many people came, engaged, and connected—and some still join our sessions at our PWSH X neurospicyplaydates x Hypha residency.
This project was a true labour of love. Many diverse people visited from wee babas to people in their 80s. I wanted the project and the space we created to be neuro-inclusive which is hard when you have no funding (I funded the entire project myself - people often think you get funding for your projects as part of your Masters, but you don’t).
Huge love to Heather, Becky, Teri, and Jane for being part of this journey. Now, some of us run Neurospicy Play Dates at 111 Queen Street, every Thursday from 6-9pm —a space for play, creativity, and connection. Also a massive shoutout to Umbrella and Paisley —this project wouldn’t have been possible without them.
When my mum got sick, I struggled with juggling everything – my own health and mental health took a hit. My career took a hit. I worked in toxic arts environments where genuine care was rare. I lost confidence. My Mum died. I lost all my work at the beginning of the pandemic. I started the Masters. I got diagnosed (ADHD, and I’m going through an Autism diagnosis now as well). Things are slowly slowly starting to feel closer to where I want to be in life and career - more meaningful, more authentic.
Plus I have an arts practice that is so good for my mental health. I LOVE my part-time work as Audience Development Manager @chapter and I just got my first group show in Elysium, Swansea (woop woop + 😬 + 🤯 )
But I’m going to be honest here. Working in the arts for me (and many other neurodivergent and disabled people who I work / speak with) is not always a linear journey, PLUS life costs more for disabled and neurodivergent people – and very few neuro-inclusive spaces exist. I have had times where I am doing really well and at times I really struggle. I have been burntout more times than I can remember. I have been on universal credit multiple times. I have re-mortgaged my house. I have perpetual credit card debt. I’ve always said I don’t want to be a single-issue practitioner. I just work in a neuro-inclusive way (and have lived experience of being a neurodivergent person, who has been a carer, who has co-occurring physical and mental health challenges (plus new things = high blood pressure, vit D3 deficiency and perimenopause head fuckery!)
The social model of disability recognises that people are disabled not by their impairments, but by barriers in society—whether that’s inaccessible workplaces, lack of accommodations, or a welfare system that forces people into poverty instead of providing real support. Welfare is not a luxury; they are a lifeline. It allows disabled people to meet their basic needs, access healthcare, and, crucially, have the stability required to work if and when they are able. Cutting welfare, as this abhorrent Labour government has proposed, will push more disabled people into crisis, making it even harder to participate in society, including employment. If you're concerned about these changes and want to connect with others to push back, let’s talk. You’re also welcome to join this event created by disabled artists who approached me and we’re co-hosting: link to event.
In other news, from mid-April, I’m available two days a week for Community Engagement and Audience Development, Creative Producing, Curating, Access and Inclusion training (and support work) and as an artist and practitioner. If you’re looking for someone to bring community, co-curation, connection, meaningful inclusion and care into your projects, let’s have a chat.
Community can be complex, and it can be beautiful and nourishing and it can give life meaning. But If you’re invested and passionate about collective care, and community-building, let’s connect. We have an incredible space at 111 Queen Street and I want to make the most of it while we have it. I’ll be submitting a funding bid soon—if you’re interested in collaborating, get in touch 💜
HYPHA STUDIOS + PWSH + PLAY DATES COMING SOON
HYPHA STUDIOS + PWSH + PLAY DATES COMING SOON
Friday 13 September 2024
BIG NEWS 🙌
A few months ago, I applied for a HYPHA studio and gallery space… and my application was successful! My HYPHA space will house my public art project PWSH, members of Neurospicy Play Dates (which we’ll be opening up to the community soon), and my own arts practice. It is located at 111 Queen Street and our opening party is on 27 September 2024.
We’ll have a programme of events for you soon. Find out more - and please get in touch if you are interested in collaborating. The venue will be inclusion, arts and wellness-led.
Friday 8 March 2024
The Radical Joy of Unmasking – A Collaborative Exhibition and Play Space.
In the lead up to, and during Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2024, Cardiff Umbrella will host a residency, collaborative exhibition and play space created by University of South Wales (USW) MA Arts Practice (Arts, Health and Wellbeing) student Rachel Kinchin and members of Neurospicy Play Date.
Neurospicy Play Dates are weekly creative wellness sessions for neurodivergent adults that started in the summer of 2023. These play dates emerged as part of Rachel’s MA. Many neurodivergent people find it challenging to access their own creativity and wellness and Rachel wanted to create a safe space to re-connect with her own creativity and enable others to do so too, whilst also body doubling; a concept which can help to boost productivity for neurodivergent people. In these sessions, they create, connect and chat about their lived experiences of neurodivergency, explore the concept of masking and unmasking and also how to thrive in a neurotypical world whilst unmasking to be their authentic selves.
The Radical Joy of Unmasking aims to put neurodivergent creatives front and centre in a playful, multi-disciplinary public exhibition that aims to shine a light on invisible impairments, connect with the wider community and allow everyone who comes into the space to play.
This exhibition is a sharing of their journey towards re-connecting with their individual and collective creativity and you’re invited to step inside and get playful. It will reimagine what an exhibition can be, not only as a place for looking but also a place to contribute.
Rachel has brought together a partnership between herself, Cardiff Umbrella and Benthyg Cymru. Benthyg Cymru have purchased art materials for the residency, exhibition and play space. Art materials purchased by Benthyg Cymru will be available to loan from Splott Benthyg Y Sblot after the exhibition. The idea is to make the arts more accessible and inclusive to more people.
The exhibition and play space is intergenerational - everyone is welcome, although there might be some fruity language on show. There will always be neurodivergent adults present, ear plugs and fidget spinners will be in the space for people to use if needed. Let Rachel know if you have any specific inclusion needs, or if you want to visit by yourself, with her or someone else as access support.
Rachel will also be taking Neurospicy Play Date to the launch of Neurodivergent Friendly Cardiff where they will be hosting a pop up play date stall delivering creative wellness sessions. Artwork created can either be taken home for a small donation, which in turn will allow more neurodivergent people to access their creative wellness, or your work can become part of the collaborative exhibition in Cardiff Umbrella.
“For my final MA project, I wanted to create something that celebrates making art for your own joy and wellbeing. The connection and creativity that we have harnessed as part of these play dates is something I wanted to share with others, and an exhibition partnering with Umbrella and Benthyg, two really meaningful partners, during neurodiversity celebration week, feels like the ideal way to share that. The idea is that the exhibition will grow as the week goes on, making space for many neurodiverse people to join us in taking a moment for creative wellness and ultimately, celebrating difference. If you visit on the first and last days of the exhibition, expect a transformation! Using anything we can lay our hands on, from peg dolls to a Pooki Press, we want to remind people that we are all artists.” Rachel Kinchin, lead artist.
“I’m so pleased to be part of this collaborative exhibition both as an artist and in my capacity as Director of Benthyg Cymru. Combining my two passions so perfectly, having the printing press and other items available to borrow to make art more accessible, save people money and space in their home, is a joy. It’s not easy being neurodivergent and Rachel has created a warm and inspiring space to support us all to tell our stories in our art and I’m glad to be able to support as Benthyg Cymru to give something back”.
Becky Harford, Benthyg Cymru.
About Artists
Rachel Kinchin is an intersectional feminist, Cardiff-born and bred, she has worked in the arts for 20+ years. She was diagnosed with ADHD whilst studying for her MA, aged 44. She encourages herself and others to embrace their brains, get playful and loves bringing people together for creative wellness and collective connection. Rachel is passionate about inclusion, especially for historically excluded people. Exploring her own creative practice alongside others has become intertwined with re-learning her brain and re-discovering her own creativity. Her multi-disciplinary arts practice explores her brain which she feels is like a fizzing neon light that will not switch off by night. Perfect imperfections, invisible impairments, and wonky symmetry using colour, texture and a multitude of materials. Rachel is an arts and wellness practitioner, creative producer, inclusion consultant and access support worker. She is the Artistic Director of PWSH and will complete her Masters in April 2024.
Becky Cee is Co-founder and Director of Benthyg Cymru. She is also an artist, instigator, poet and activist. Not through choice but compulsion. Becky has PTSD and is ADHD and her art can be erratic and unsymmetrical just like her. Using whatever medium is at hand, Becky can translate nebulous notions into narrative which can be both confusing and relatable to the audience. For more information on Libraries of Things or Becky’s art:
Becky@benthyg-cymru.org https://www.instagram.com/becky.cee/
Teri Otti is a mixed media artist, digital illustrator and nail artist. Her current work is informed by her life as a queer parent to neurodivergent children, the navigation of a separation and the emotional fallout of receiving her ADHD diagnosis two years ago at age 39. Improvisation and play are at the forefront of her practice. www.instagram.com/teri.otti www.terriotti.com
Heather Williams is a Deaf BSL user and is ADHD and has many years experience in the third sector - from managing projects, fundraising and welfare rights, to working with D/deaf and disabled people. Heather has recently transferred those skills to the creative sector and has become a Creative Freelancer in project management, BSL Consultancy, BSL Tour Guides, Workshop Facilitating and PA support for neurodiverse artists. Heather has a passion for the Arts and promoting accessible events.
Jane Oriel is a reluctant visual artist who has been in denial of her creativity all her adult life. She felt safer supporting the endeavours of others as an exhibition curator (Newport and New York), life model and music journalist/manager/promoter. While she awaits her ADHD diagnosis, she is exploring both herself, her lived experience and her burgeoning arts practice.
About Partners
Cardiff Umbrella
Umbrella is a Queer, artist-led, community-focussed and socially-driven art collective, founded by a small team of three Welsh practising artists — their ethos is ‘art for all’. Their aim is to become a working space that will have a positive contribution to our community.
Benthyg Cymru
Back in 2017 Becky, Jane and Ella set up Wales's first Library of Things (LoTs), which is a place to borrow useful and fun things that you might not be able to afford or have space for. Benthyg Cymru want to make borrowing as easy as popping out for a loaf of bread by supporting communities to develop their own Libraries. They want a Welsh network of Libraries so you can borrow whatever you need wherever you are. There are currently 22 Libraries in the network. Find out more about LoTs and the work of Benthyg Cymru here: www.benthyg-cymru.org
MA Arts Practice (Arts, Health and Wellbeing) at the University of South Wales
The course is located within the practical world of Arts and Health, where arts practitioners work on the improvement of health environments through arts interventions, or in raising awareness of health issues through the delivery of artworks and events, or through offering individuals and groups practical experiences/projects/workshops that aim to improve wellbeing.
Schedule
Residency: Wednesday 6 March – Thursday 14 March
Opening Night / Public View: Friday 15 March, 5pm-8pm
Collaborative Exhibition and Play Space: Saturday 16 March – Saturday 23 March. Rachel will be hosting drop-in sessions throughout this time.
Open Play Dates:
Thursday 7 March, 1-3pm - Loom Weaving with Heather Williams (BSL)
Friday 8 March, 5-7pm - Mask Making with Ren Wolfe
Thursday 14 March, 3-5pm - Collaging with Teri Otti
Saturday 16 March, 1-3pm - Lino Printing, Pooki Press with Becky Cee
Opening Times:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday - 11.00-18.00
Tuesday & Thursday - 11.00-17.00
Sunday - Closed
GLOSSARY OF TERMS / ACCEPTABLE LANGUAGE
Neurodiverse - “Neurodiverse is a popular term that’s used to describe differences in the way people’s brains work. The idea is that there’s no “correct” way for the brain to work. Instead, there is a wide range of ways that people perceive and respond to the world, and these differences are to be embraced and encouraged.” (Child Mind Institute Website).
Neurodivergent - “Neurodivergence is the term for when someone's brain processes, learns, and/or behaves differently from what is considered "typical."
Formerly considered a problem or abnormal, scientists now understand that neurodivergence isn’t inherently an issue for the individual and that it has a large societal benefit. Not all presentations of neurodivergence are a disability, like synesthesia, but all are a difference in how the brain works. With this shift, practitioners are no longer treating neurodivergence as inherently an illness. They are instead viewing them as different methods of learning and processing information, some of which become disabilities in an inaccessible and ableist society.” (The Very Well Mind website).
Neurospicy - Rachel was unable to find out who came up with this term, but has been aware of it for a couple of years. She decided to use this word in her creative wellness sessions to conjure a feeling of playfulness and exploration.
Neurotypical - “Neurotypical is a term that's used to describe individuals with typical neurological development or functioning. It is not specific to any particular group, including autism spectrum disorder” (Healthline Website).
Body Doubling - “Body doubling includes having a friend or another person nearby when completing a task in order to boost productivity. This concept can be beneficial for those with ADHD, as they may be better able to focus when someone else is around. Body doubling helps to improve motivation, emotional regulation, and creativity in those who participate.” (Choosing Therapy Website).
Masking - ADHD masking may also be called "camouflaging." This is when someone with ADHD tries to cover up their symptoms by copying the behaviours of people who don't have it. ADHD masking may be a way for some people with ADHD to fit in socially, avoid being stigmatised, or feel more accepted.
The Radical Joy of Unmasking. Drop-in creative playdates, exhibition opening times…
The Radical Joy of Unmasking - SAVE THE DATE!
More news coming soon! But for now, please save the date for the opening night of the collaborative exhibition and play space I’m creating as part of my MA in Arts Practice: Arts, Health & Wellbeing final project. I’m partnering with Benthyg and Cardiff Umbrella to make this happen, as well as the participants of my neurospicy play dates and hopefully, plenty of people from our local, beautiful neurodiverse community.