Neurodiversity Celebration week was founded by neurodiversity advocate Siena Castellon. According to the Department of Education, 15% of students in the United Kingdom have a learning difference such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia.
This week aims to acknowledge and celebrate the many positive aspects of being neurodiverse and create a more positive perception about what it means to be neurodiverse and to change the educational landscape so that SEN students have positive school experiences. Find out more information on how to get involved here.
Celebrating unique perspectives and the value that comes from different outlooks, Neurodiversity Celebration Week encourages people to recognise the benefits that come with autism and neurodiverse perspectives. Cinemas across the country offer relaxed environment or autism-friendly screenings, with adaptations to make the space more comfortable and accessible for autistic people to enjoy film as individuals or with their families.
Organisations such as the UK Cinema Association, Dimensions, National Autistic Society and FAN have worked with cinemas to support them in welcoming autistic audiences. You can find listings for some cinemas which host Relaxed and/or Autism-Friendly Screenings here and on event listings on the Accessible Screenings website.
Greenock | Fun Film Club at the Waterfront
Dunoon | Autism Friendly screenings at Studio Cinema
London | Relaxed Screenings at BFI Southbank
Leeds | Relaxed Screenings at Hyde Park Picture House
Glasgow | Take 2 Access at Glasgow Film Theatre
Glasgow | Access Film Club at Glasgow Film Theatre
Belfast, Glengormley & Coleraine | Autism friendly screenings at Movie House Cinemas
Stockton | Relaxed performances and screenings at ARC
Dundee | Relaxed Screenings at DCA
Worthing | Autism Friendly screenings at Worthing Theatres
Neath | Relaxed Screenings at Gwyn Hall
Walsall, Dudley, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester & Coventry | Autism Friendly Screenings at Showcase Cinemas
Saffron Walden | Relaxed Screenings at Saffron Screen
London | Relaxed Screenings at Barbican
Hebden Bridge | Autism Friendly (Relaxed) Screenings at Hebden Bridge Picture House
Birmingham | Relaxed events and screenings at Mac
Canterbury | Accessible film screenings at Gulbenkian
Chester | Relaxed Screenings at Storyhouse
Merlin Cinemas | Penzance, Redruth, Falmouth, Torquay, Ilfracombe, Okehampton, Coleford, Cromer, Kingsbridge, Prestatyn | Autism friendly screenings at Merlin Cinemas
Mental wellbeing is an extremely important issue with young people, and film can be a wonderful tool for helping them explore their feelings and broach difficult subjects. Thought-provoking films can allow young people to discuss the many difficult and complex issues associated with mental wellbeing in an accessible way. Using film can help develop emotional … More
Taking steps to make your venue more accessible is beneficial to everyone – from shops trying to increase sales to attractions aiming to increase footfall; and from wheelchair users to young parents out and about with prams. Here are some top tips for making your venue as accessible to as many people as possible.
A guide for practitioners and providers The main aim of this guide is to equip mental health providers and professionals with tools that will enable them to offer a service that is inclusive and able to cater for the needs of adults with both ASD and a mental health problem. This guide sets outs a … More
People affected by dementia often have to give up the things they love due to inaccessible and unsupportive environments. This includes visiting a cinema.
Cinemas have an important part to play in tackling the social and economic impact of dementia, by allowing people living with dementia to continue to participate in entertainment. Our new cinema guide, produced in collaboration with Alzheimer’s Society and UK Cinema Association, is designed to help cinemas improve their accessibility and become more dementia-friendly.
People living with dementia should be able to live the life they want to lead in their communities, irrespective of their condition. This will only be achieved with greater awareness, understanding, and support for those impacted by dementia. Becoming a dementia-friendly organisation means providing the opportunities to help every person with dementia continue to do the things they want to do and cinemas are central to this aim.
From your first family trip to the big screen to seeing the latest blockbusters with friends as a teenager, film is an immersive experience which can leave a profound and lasting impact on an individual. It can promote activity and stimulation of the mind; be an important tool for reminiscence, and is often associated with relaxation, engagement and, above all, enjoyment. By developing an understanding of dementia, cinemas can make a huge difference to people living with dementia.
This guide gives best practice advice on how to run dementia-friendly screenings and shares successful case studies from organisations already running. It aims to spread awareness of dementia-friendly screenings and encourages cinemas of all sizes to get involved.
We have also prepared a dementia friendly survey to assist with gathering data at your screenings.
Access the guide, along with further resources in the downloads section.
In 2015 Disabled Access Day, 16 March, began as a day to celebrate good access and to create opportunities for people to try something new. The day was very much about highlighting the fantastic access that already exists in places, experiences such as going on a touch tour, enjoying a relaxed performance, sensory experiences, signed events, level access and of course a warm welcome! Often these activities and experiences are hard to arrange or create a sense of anxiety and fear.
Cinemas across the country offer access for people who may have visible or hidden disabilities, as well as offering specific accessible screenings, such as subtitled, audio described, BSL interpreted, relaxed environment, autism-friendly, and/or dementia-friendly screenings.
Your Local Cinema lists many subtitled and audio-described screenings
Accessible Screenings UK also list autism-friendly, subtitled and audio-described screenings
Michelle is the Involvement and Engagement Coordinator for Dimensions, an Autism Ambassador and mum to three autistic children. She does a lot to improve understanding and opportunities so she was asked to write a blog for World Autism Awareness Day.
Many cinemas across the country offer relaxed environment or autism-friendly screenings, with adaptations to make the space more comfortable and accessible for autistic people to enjoy film as individuals or with their families.
Organisations such as the UK Cinema Association, Dimensions, National Autistic Society and BFI FAN have worked with cinemas to support them in welcoming autistic audiences.
We have provided some training resources and information on this page to help you host Relaxed Screenings in your venue.
Cinema and film can be an inspiring and powerful tool for representation and developing awareness projects. Find some inspiration on this page about previous and existing projects, films, or information for further research and planning ideas.
Jo attended Opening our Doors: Inclusive Cinema in Glasgow 2019 to run a workshop on marketing diverse titles for audiences.
“One of things I enjoy most about working on grassroots and outreach marketing on film projects is the sheer diversity of campaigns you can be involved with as well as the creative freedom you can exercise on the below the line activity associated with these projects.
“As cinemas, community cinemas or festivals its imperative you treat grassroots/outreach marketing as an integral part of your audience development programme – you’ll need to nurture and cultivate these relationships over time.
“Look at your programme at a whole and find the common links between films – look at I, Daniel Blake and Nae Pasaran! for instance, there is definitely a crossover in terms of the politics or looking at young empowered female led films like Patti Cake$ and Skate Kitchen. Be as strategic as you can with your programming.
“Organisations and individuals you engage with will become your ambassadors and champions so its important you keep the conversations with them going even during your quieter periods or between events.
“Also as local organisations you’re a unique position to understand the sensitivities and culture of your community, this is a massive advantage – think of all the knowledge you have and how it can be best used!”
“Each week I look at a different film industry topic, focusing on the data and statistics to reveal what’s really going on.”
