Exhibition showcases autism artwork

A free exhibition is being held at a London theatre this month to showcase the work of the finalists of the Create! Art for Autism competition.

The exhibition will take place at the Unicorn Theatre, 147 Tooley Street, London, SE1 2HZ, and run from Saturday 15th to Friday 21st October. It will coincide with the theatre’s autism friendly performance of Billy the Kid on the 15th. For this performance, the theatre will use special lighting and sound for those with sensory differences and audience members will be allowed to move around freely.   Create! Art for Autism was launched in April 2011 by Beechwood College, a specialist residential college of further education for young people with an autistic spectrum condition (ASC), to celebrate the creativity of young people with an ASC. The winners were announced at an awards ceremony in July, which was followed by an exhibition of the finalists’ work in Cardiff in August.

Darren Jackson, principal of Beechwood College, said: “The inaugural Create! Art for Autism competition was extremely well received, attracting hundreds of entries from all over the country and overseas. By bringing the exhibition to London we can widen the reach of the campaign, while also helping to celebrate the achievements of all those that entered, including those based in London. “Through the competition we have been able to dispel the myth that young people with an autistic spectrum condition cannot be creative and moreover, we believe that engaging in art and creative activities can greatly improve their lives.”

The exhibition will be open from 9.30am – 6pm.