Inclusive Arts Collective
Community Interest Company 15714211
Inclusive Arts Collective create neurodivergent-led arts programs that empower children through movement, visual arts, and performance—honouring different ways of experiencing the world.
Our workshops, co-designed with neurodivergent artists and educators, centre on stimming, sensory exploration, and self-expression. Through creative collaboration, we foster confidence, connection, and a more inclusive society.
Our Projects
At Inclusive Arts Collective, we are committed to creating inclusive, creative spaces that celebrate neurodivergent voices. Our past project In My World, In Your Eyes explored the experiences of autistic children through film and was selected by Into Film+ for educational distribution in UK schools.
We are currently running The Arts Lab, a series of sensory-based workshops designed to support self-expression and confidence in neurodivergent children aged 10–14.
Looking ahead, we are developing a more ambitious, long-term programme to expand our reach and impact, supporting neurodivergent young people through sustained creative engagement and community involvement.
The Arts Lab
MAY - OCTOBER 2025
Funded by Arts Council England
The Arts Lab is a creative space where neurodivergent children can connect, express themselves, and feel a sense of belonging. Run by Inclusive Arts Collective, the project offers a supportive environment free from judgment—where children are understood and celebrated.
Led by neurodivergent artists and facilitators, the workshops use art, movement, and sensory play to build confidence, self-expression, and connection. Parents also find space for shared understanding and support.
Designed for ages 10–14, the programme includes six rotating art clubs across three rooms at Good Shepherd Studios, culminating in a community gallery exhibition.
How the Sessions Work
Each session is tailored to the children’s interests, with participants divided into smaller groups based on their preferences—whether that’s movement, making, or media. The structure of each session includes:
Creative Exploration: A mix of sensory and artistic activities to warm up and inspire.
Club Session (60 min): Children join one of six themed clubs for deeper creative focus.
Clubs include:
Drawing & Painting • Stop Motion • Journaling & Wellness • Movement & Drama • Music • Podcast & Video Creation
With guidance from experienced artist mentors, children receive personalised support to explore their creativity and build confidence in ways that suit them best.
Some Videos
From Stimming To Dance
OCTOBER 2024 - APRIL 2025
Funded by Community Fund
WORKSHOPS AGE 6 - 9:
From Stimming to Dance was a series of workshops for neurodivergent children aged 10–14, exploring stimming as a creative and expressive practice. Led by neurodivergent artists, the project created space for movement, music, and sensory play, where children could build confidence, connect with others, and celebrate their unique ways of being.
The Workshops
Each session blended structured and free movement with activities like dance, art, music, and sensory exploration. Designed around individual sensory needs, the workshops encouraged children to participate in their own way—supporting emotional regulation, creative expression, and body awareness in a non-judgmental environment.
Our Aim
The project redefines stimming as a powerful form of self-expression and connection. By centring neurodivergent voices and collaborating with families and educators, From Stimming to Dance promotes a deeper understanding of neurodivergence, while fostering belonging, creativity, and wellbeing.
WORKSHOPS AGE 10 - 14:
The Image-making studio
2023 - 2025 T
Funded by The City of London Corporation's Inspiring London Through Culture programme
The Project:
The Inclusive Arts Club is a creative programme for young people aged 16–18 in and around W1F, London, including students from Soho Mosaic (Capital City College). It offers a calm, welcoming, and sensory-friendly space where participants can explore visual arts through hands-on activities.
This is a space where participants experiment with a wide range of practices, including:
3D model-making
Printmaking
Experimental photography
Stop motion animation
Led by a dedicated team of artists, educators, and Learning Support Assistants, all experienced in creating accessible pathways into the arts. The focus is on encouraging creative expression, confidence, and collaboration through inclusive and adaptable methods.
What Students Gain
From building sculptures with recycled materials to printing bold designs or capturing abstract images with light, participants will be supported to develop their own visual language.
The programme culminates in a public exhibition and online showcase, where young people will share their work with a wider audience — celebrating their creativity and achievements.
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN:
Increased confidence and creative risk-taking
New friendships formed in a supportive environment
Students sharing their stories in their own way
Teachers and support staff reporting better engagement
WHAT PARTICIPANTS SAY:
“It’s the first time I’ve enjoyed working in a group.”
“I feel like I can finally show what’s in my head.”
“I never thought I could make a film, and now I’ve made three.
WHAT COMES NEXT:
This project is helping us build a long-term model for inclusive creative practice in further education. With continued support, we hope to make the Stop Motion Club a permanent part of the college — and to inspire other institutions to do the same..
Some works:
In My World In Your Eyes
APRIL 2024
Funded by Barbican, Arts Council, Intofilm.
BFI & Into Film+ Screenings for Awareness in Schools
The film was acquired by the British Film Institute (BFI) via Into Film+ and is currently being screened in schools across the UK. It is being used to improve understanding of neurodiversity among both students and educators.
In My World, In Your Eyes has also reached a wide audience beyond the classroom, with over 10,000 views on YouTube and more than 20,000 views on Muni, reflecting its growing impact and resonance with viewers.
STATISTICS IN THE UK:
• In a world where 90% of autistic children use stimming to find calm, many are told to stop.
• 40-50% of autistic children have clinically significant levels of anxiety.
• A 2011 study from the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders found that about 47% of autistic children experience at least one anxiety disorder.• Around 70-90% of autistic individuals engage in some form of stimming.
• A 2020 study showed that 65% of caregivers reported that stimming helped their autistic children cope with stress and anxiety.
• A survey by the National Autistic Society found that 76% of autistic individuals and their families believe that stimming provides emotional relief and helps manage anxious feelings.
• In movement-based workshops, 85% of parents observed improvements in their children's mood and emotional regulation after dance therapy sessions.
TRAILER
In My World, In Your Eyes follows Elena, an 11-year-old autistic girl navigating the challenges of mainstream school. Guided by her voice, viewers experience the world through immersive sensory simulations that reveal the unseen realities of neurodivergent life.
Created by a diverse team including neurodivergent artists, the film is both educational and artistic—designed to foster empathy, understanding, and inclusivity in schools. It highlights daily struggles, unique coping strategies, and the creative strengths often overlooked in autistic children.
Producing the film:
Jane and I
Available from September 2025
Synopsis:
A blind woman who recounts her unusual bond with another woman—also blind from birth—whom she met by chance. The two form a deep, tender relationship, exploring the world together through sound, memory, touch, and imagination. The film reflects on how blind people build connections, experience intimacy, and find joy and conflict like anyone else—just in different, equally rich ways. As illness enters the picture, the film explores love, care, loss, and the weight of letting go.
Why we made it
We created this film to challenge narrow assumptions about disability—especially the unseen emotional landscapes of people often excluded from dominant narratives. Jane and I is about disability, but more than that, it’s about the universality of human connection. It invites viewers to witness how isolation often stems not from the condition itself, but from society's failure to understand and include.
As with our previous project In My World, In Your Eyes, which centred autistic voices, this film seeks to platform underrepresented experiences and promote neuro- and disability-inclusive storytelling through poetic, accessible, and emotionally resonant art.
We hope
With Jane and I, we hope to foster understanding, empathy, and reflection. This film is an invitation to slow down, listen differently, and reconsider the ways we perceive difference. We want viewers to come away with a sense of connection—not pity or romanticisation, but a genuine recognition of the depth and reality of disabled lives, relationships, and desires.
At Inclusive Arts Collective, our aim is to keep creating spaces where lived experience and artistic exploration meet, giving voice to stories that are often left out—but never less human.
Poppy’s SuperPower
Supporting the publishing of:
by Janet Cheeseman
We’re proud to support the publication of Poppy’s SuperPower, a bold and joyful children’s book written by one of our workshop facilitators, Janet Cheeseman. This rhyming story follows Poppy — a loud, expressive, and misunderstood child — on her journey of self-acceptance and creative empowerment. Through music and friendship, Poppy discovers that her so-called “too muchness” is actually her greatest gift.
Poppy’s SuperPower celebrates neurodiversity with warmth and wit, offering an affirming message for autistic and neurodivergent children — whether they’re loud and proud or quietly masking. Inclusive Arts Collective supported the editing and printing of this book as part of our commitment to spreading understanding and celebrating difference.
600 FREE COPIES of the book will be distributed to all 70 primary schools in Waltham Forest, ensuring that more children and educators can access inclusive stories that reflect a wider range of minds, voices, and experiences.
If you'd like a copy or to collaborate with Janet, please GET IN TOUCH.
Coming in 2026:
Young Voices Project
Launching in early 2026
Good Shepherd Studios, Waltham Forest
What We Do
The Young Voices Project is a one-year creative programme for children aged 9–16 in Waltham Forest and nearby areas. In partnership with Chickenshed, we provide a safe and inclusive space where young people can explore theatre, dance, music, and art. Through playful workshops and youth-led activities, every child is encouraged to express themselves, discover new talents, and build confidence.
Who Benefits
Our project supports children who face barriers such as poverty, low confidence, or lack of creative opportunities. Some are neurodivergent, some are not, but all deserve to feel included and valued. Families also benefit from a stronger sense of connection and support, while schools and community partners gain new ways of working with children who feel left out.
Why It Matters
Many young people in Waltham Forest struggle with disadvantage, discrimination, or exclusion. By giving them space to be heard and celebrated, we help them grow in confidence and wellbeing. Creative expression reduces anxiety, builds friendships, and gives children the courage to believe their voices matter — both now and for their future.
The Venue
Good Shepherd Studios – We’re based in both the auditorium and The Annex, spacious and adaptable areas perfect for creative exploration. These sensory-friendly spaces allow children to move freely, engage in multidisciplinary workshops, and express themselves in ways that suit their unique needs.
Our Pastures – We also work in the general activity room and the grass field, which provides a safe and open environment for movement-based and outdoor sessions. These spaces are ideal for group activities, sensory play, and inclusive games that help children connect with peers.
Both venues have been chosen for their accessibility, warmth, and flexibility — essential qualities for the kind of inclusive, neuro-affirming work we do.
Community Café – An important part of our project is the relaxed, cozy café space where parents and carers are welcome to gather during workshops. This area has become a vital hub for informal connection and peer support. Over time, it has helped to foster a strong community network where families can meet, share experiences, and build lasting relationships.
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Pablo Herrera
FOUNDER
A writer and educator whose work is deeply shaped by his neurodivergent experiences. With a Master of Arts in Screenplay, Pablo has explored themes of neurodiversity through video and writing.
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Rosana Antoli
CO-FOUNDER
A multidisciplinary artist specializing in performative art and social choreography, holding a Master's in Performance Art from the Royal College of Art. Her work investigates movement, collective behavior, and porous relational dynamics, often through immersive and interdisciplinary experiences.
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Andrea Mesones
WELLBEING TEAM LEAD
A psychologist with experience supporting autistic individuals and their families, with a focus on girls and women, through a neurodiversity-affirming approach. She has developed and led social skills workshops and recreational spaces for neurodivergent children and teens.
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Janet Chesseman
WORKSHOP LEADER
An illustrator with a quirky, fluid style perfect for children’s books and comics. She runs comic clubs, live drawing sessions, and interactive storytelling with music. Janet guides neurodivergent children how to express themselves through drawing.
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Hannah Whitfield
CREATIVE WELLBEING MENTOR
A multidisciplinary artist who uses creativity to inspire social change and support wellbeing. An actor, dancer, musician, and activist, she draws on her own experiences to explore challenging topics and encourage self-expression through art.
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Ina Leah
WORKSHOP LEADER
A multidisciplinary artist with a Master’s from the Royal College of Art. With a background in psychology, she explores therapeutic art through music, visual art, and movement, drawing on her experience as a neurodivergent artist.
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Imogen Hunt
WORKSHOP LEADER
A Master’s researcher at Trinity Laban exploring how stimming and self-regulatory movement support learning and wellbeing. Their project Neurospace in Action examines how the body manages energy, emotion, and attention. They lead inclusive sessions using movement for expression, regulation, and connection.
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Carolina Rieckhof
WORKSHOP LEADER
A sculptor and costume designer whose work explores the connection between body, space, and emotion through wearable sculpture. Drawing from interest in performance design and somatic practice, she collaborates with dancers and performers to create sensory, movement-based experiences.
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Vintage Shaw (they/them)
WORKSHOP LEADER
A neurodivergent, multi-disciplinary artist whose creative practice spans inclusive performance, acting, dance, and illustration. Currently studying inclusive performance, Vintage brings a unique perspective to their work, blending movement, storytelling, and visual art to explore identity, accessibility, and expression.