The contemporary art world is in many ways inherently hostile towards people with social disabilities, and there appears to be little understanding of the problem, let alone the will to change. Neurodivergent artists are frequently shut out by the system of networking for exposure. Issues with executive functioning and cognitive load can make dealing with funding bodies and applications overwhelming. Neurotypical gatekeepers often insist on work that fits with their ideas of what autism is or should be, as something tragic and pitiable. But when artists do create work around our difficulties, it can keep us siloed in a separate “disability” or “outsider” arts track, devalued and tokenised.

 

We are more likely than the general population to be unemployed and to experience poverty. We can’t afford to “work for exposure”, and our slow, considered artistic process doesn’t fit with the pressures of the commercial art world. The system simply isn’t built for us. And as budgets are squeezed and priorities shift in a post-Covid-19 world, these issues look set to get worse.

 

On top of this, neurodivergent artists often face these issues alone, without support structures or bodies to advocate for them. If we are to create alternatives to the current exclusionary model, neurodivergent people need to organise. The current state of dislocation and uncertainty presents challenges but it also an opportunity to remake the system – to imagine and demand a better one.

 

This project uses an artists’ collective as a starting point to highlight and challenge the exclusion of neurodivergent artists through the development of a manifesto for neurodiversity in the visual arts. We will then stage an exhibition that showcases the work of neurodivergent artists, and challenges public perceptions of neurodivergent people more generally.  

 

My hope is that long-term, the collective will be a starting point for a broader network of neurodivergent artists, a peer group that can support one another, advocate for our place in the arts, and help create opportunities and forge alternative career paths outside the mainstream.

 

I am grateful for the support of Creative Scotland, who have made this project possible through a grant from their Create:Inclusion fund.

 

- Tzipporah Johnston, Visual Artist

 

How to Apply

 

Please download and read the Project Information Sheet. This contains important practical information about the project, how to apply, and deadlines.

 

When you are ready to apply, please fill out the application form below and return it via email, along with up to 5 images of your art. If you wish, you may also send an artist CV, but this is not required.

 

Please email your application to neurodivergentartistsnetwork@gmail.com

 

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Friday July 31st, 2020

 

 

If you have any questions, need the application form in an alternative format, or would like to discuss access needs, please email me at neurodivergentartistsnetwork@gmail.com

 

We aim to let applicants know if they have been selected for video interview by the end of the day on Tuesday 4th August

 

Project Information Sheet 

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Application Form 

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