Art, Design and Neurodiversity

What is the role of contemporary art and design practice within neurodiversity? How digital media is engaging people who have a neurodivergent perspective (e.g., autism, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dyspraxia) into creating new art? This paper looks at giving a brief overview of the topic whilst looking into project Art, Design and Neurodiversity that the author started in 2015 in conjunction with the Graphic and Media Design course at London College of Communication, University of the Arts London (UAL). A collaboration was also built on some case-studies with Tate Digital Learning and BBC Research & Development. Exploring areas of sound art, graphic design, video art and storytelling, art practices around different forms of neurodiversity are investigated and produced. In this paper, there is also a key area of inclusive visual material and artistic work created by the participants. The art-design pieces can “live” independently but in this project they are also part of a wider communication that is taken into consideration also in the overall structure of this paper itself. With this paper, the author also looks at describing the way the project started, what outputs and findings are coming from the first phase of the work, and what are the next steps.