Belonging - Unbelonging

Since the Covid pandemic there has been a sharp rise in the awareness and understanding of neurodivergence, particularly ADHD and an increase in self-realisation in adults, especially women. This rise in awareness has resulted in added pressure on an already over-burdened NHS and a lack of access to psychiatric and medical help nationally. In turn this has led to negative media coverage, labelling neurodivergence as a trend or an epidemic, which further alienates neurodivergent people from themselves and society.

The act of quilting has historically been viewed as a place where people, especially women, come together to discuss and share the issues of their community. The process of making directs the gaze to the hands, rather than each other, minimising eye contact. It acts as the perfect vehicle to encourage conversations to flow and to share stories of difference, where before they may have been forced to hide or mask these differences.

We have welcomed local neurodivergent artists, makers and creatives to join us in our neuro-research, they have contributed to the development of the project with their own lived experiences. Together we have created a collaborative quilt exploring how it feels to us to be neurodivergent today. Through the mapping of the neurodivergent landscape of Gloucestershire, we have created the Neurodivergent Artists Collective a place where creatives are working together to support each other. This is a legacy of the project that will continue and may prove invaluable not only within own county but also transferable globally.

Available to view at Gloucester Cathedral Friday 6 - Monday 30 September 2024

gloucestercathedral.org.uk/whats-on/belonging-and-unbelonging