About Us
Neurodivergent Arts CIC exists to champion neurodivergent creativity as an art form — placing it at the heart of culture as a recognised and celebrated asset.
We cultivate inclusive, co-created platforms where people can connect, create, and belong — while also supporting wellbeing, reducing isolation, and building progression routes into volunteering, facilitation, leadership, and cultural recognition.
Our approach grows from care, belonging, and co-creation — led by lived experience and inspired by the belief that creativity is both nourishment for wellbeing and a pathway into leadership.
Why this matters
Southampton is home to around 250,000 people, and an estimated 15–20% are neurodivergent — that’s almost 40,000 people whose creativity and voices belong at the heart of our city’s culture.
We want to build on the strengths already alive in Southampton’s neurodivergent community — learning from the vibrant pockets that exist, and working alongside them to connect, create, and co-create. Our aim is to develop programmes that grow these networks, rally new opportunities, and create sustainable pathways for community development, cultural participation, and leadership.
Nationally, only 29% of autistic adults are employed. In Southampton, we want to help shift that story — creating inclusive opportunities for people to contribute, progress, and flourish in ways that reflect their strengths and lived experience.
We also recognise the underrepresentation of neurodivergent people in leadership across the arts, culture, and heritage sectors. Our vision is to change this by embedding leadership opportunities at every level — nurturing a future where neurodivergent people are not only participants, but also facilitators, decision-makers, and creative leaders shaping the cultural life of our communities.
Our Two Pathways
Community Wellbeing Pathway
We run monthly, bi-monthly, and weekly creative groups in trusted hubs
Designed to reduce isolation and support mental health
Spaces to build confidence, connect, and belong
Professional Progression Pathway
Opportunities for volunteering, co-facilitation, and leadership
Exhibition and cultural recognition platforms
Routes into employment and governance
Cultural Projects
Alongside our pathways, our cultural projects bring creativity into public spaces and partnerships with museums, galleries, and heritage sites. These projects celebrate neurodivergent voices, create visibility, and shift the stories told about our communities — placing lived experience at the centre of culture.
Our Vision
We embody and advocate for a future where neurodivergent creativity is visible, valued, and celebrated — from community hubs to national stages.
Our work creates spaces where people can connect, create, and belong — not only as participants, but also as facilitators, leaders, and cultural contributors.
Whether someone joins us to support their wellbeing or pursue professional progression, they are part of a growing movement that is reshaping the arts through lived experience, care, and co-creation.
We currently work from trusted community venues — with a long-term vision to grow multiple neighbourhood hubs, leading to a permanent Creative Wellbeing Hub with studios, residencies, a café, and wellbeing spaces.
What is the impact?
At Neurodivergent Arts CIC, we know that real change doesn’t happen in a single session — or even in ten.
While creative moments can be powerful, our focus is on sustainable, long-term impact — built through consistency, care, and co-creation.
We provide more than activities: we nurture community, consistency, and care — along with creative wellbeing tools that participants can carry with them and use in everyday life.
We build impact through two interconnected pathways:
– A community pathway, where creativity reduces isolation, supports mental health, builds confidence, and nurtures belonging
– A professional pathway, where those who wish can progress into volunteering, co-facilitation, leadership, and cultural recognition
Together, these pathways create impact across four interconnected levels:
Individual Impact
People build confidence, develop self-worth, and feel represented in ways they haven’t before.
“It’s helped me so much with my confidence and self-worth — I always feel relaxed and safe when I come.”
— Art Club participant
“Our experience of exclusion, difference, and difficulty with identity is something we share… it’s been positive to come together to creatively express this in a shared project.”
— City Reflections participant
Professional Impact
We recognise lived experience as expertise.
Not all leadership looks the same. We support growth in visible and quiet ways — from behind-the-scenes support to public co-curation.
“I like to help in my own way, which isn’t necessarily visible — but I know I’m making a difference.”
— Volunteer (Art Group preparation support)
“As a neurodivergent professional, I have to manage my own communication barriers and expectations. Co-creating City Reflections helped me develop in ways I didn’t expect — I’ve grown as a facilitator and learned how to trust the pace of community-led work.”
— Community Curator for City Reflections
Community Impact
We build trusted creative hubs that reduce isolation.
Our sessions are shaped by the people who attend — offering a sense of connection and belonging.
“Beth created a safe and welcoming space for us to learn and ask questions.”
— City Reflections participant“I love challenging my skills, learning new things and the sense of community”
— Art Club participant
Societal Impact
We co-create cultural change.
Through partnerships and public storytelling, we amplify neurodivergent voices and shift the narratives that shape how we’re seen.
“Being able to stand in the vaults and tell our story through the walls — it made me feel powerful, like we were reclaiming space.”
— City Reflections participant“We made something meaningful. It wasn’t just a project — it’s our voice, out there for people to see and feel.”
— City Reflections participant