Consultancy & Advisory Practice
"Everyone can benefit from a culture of care"
Often referred to as the ‘go to neurodiversity in arts consultant ’, Gaia is a leading voice in neurodivergent sustainable practice & training for arts organisations, galleries, funding bodies and project consultation.
Based in Wales, Gaia works across the UK to educate, deepen understanding and increase accessibility for artists that are disabled, participants & visitors. She supports individual artists via her Rewilding the Artist experiential program and is a successful neurodivergent visual artist herself.
Gaia's ethos stems from the need for cultural change in regard to accessibility within the arts. She attains this by embracing the following practices & ideas:
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Good faith
Gaia encourages an open and honest space to learn, where if someone unintentionally says something that is clumsy, ill-informed, or may be read as offensive, it should be seen as spoken in good faith and as a learning opportunity to explore and reflect upon through engaging in creative enquiry.
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Radical kindness
Employing kindness and openness as the foundation of accessibility and equity.
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Autistic Joy
Recognising, celebrating, and enhancing the joys of neurodivergence rather than focusing solely on difficulties defined by the medical model.
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Social Model of Disability
Disability arises through barriers within society rather than a physical or mental ‘impairment’. By addressing this with education within all levels of the sector and employing a culture of care, nothing is insurmountable.
Working with Gaia
Gaia’s consultancy work is varied and currently offers support with the following:
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Company / organisation kindness pledge.
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Neurodivergent Accessible spaces including physical spaces & virtual spaces for artists, employees, visitors & participants.
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Creation of Neurodivergent accessible opportunities / artist calls, funding & application procedures.
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A neurodivergent perspective on problem solving.
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Project accessibility & mentoring of neurodivergent project participants.
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Training in Neurodivergence & accessibility.
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Speaking in the form of lectures or talks for universities, conferences, events etc.
Kindness' and 'Raising the Bar Together,' are two of Gaia's Advocacy projects delivered in partnership
with g39 (Kindness) and Arts Council Wales (Raising the Bar)
Speaking: Lectures & Talks
Neurodivergent sustainable practice.
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Environmentally sustainable practice.
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Valuing artists that are ND and / or disabled.
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Curating artists that are ND and / or disabled.
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Sustainable practice (health / wellbeing & financial) for artists that are disabled.
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Neurodivergent accessible spaces / sensory difference.
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Rewilding the Artist.
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Collaborating / working with artists that are disabled.
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Culture of Care & valuing everyone within the visual arts.
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This information is a guide to possibilities for you and your organisation and a list of roles that Gaia commonly performs. However, as every access situation is unique this list is not exhaustive.
Please contact Gaia directly to discuss your specific requirements.
TESTIMONIALS
'Your contribution as an individual to our new application process has prompted great discussion within the Arts Council which is ongoing.'
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Arts Council Wales Development Officer
'We have valued working with Gaia - as the beneficiary of one to one sessions, as one of the commissions for the Resource programme and as part of this process [Artist Consultation].'
Anthony Shapland, Founder g39
'I am personally on a learning journey and have learnt a lot from working with you and am grateful to you for your patience in this process.
Arts Council Wales Project Manager
'Thanks so much for your invaluable support'
Wales Cultural Alliance
'Thank you for this level of detail, I did not expect this at all. You are so generous with your time.'
DAC (Disability Arts Cymru)
Invitation...
An invitation join Gaia's circle, to receive her thoughts & words on new consultancy,
creative training & events.