Winner announced for World Autism Acceptance Month art competition
The winners of the North East Autism Society’s inaugural World Autism Acceptance Month art competition have been announced.
Acceptance in Action
The Glasshouse: 'You’re helping people to take part'
For the members of the Chorus of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, inclusion is something to be strived for as much as musical excellence.
The chorus, made up of entirely of auditioned volunteers, has nearly 100 members and practices weekly to support the world-renowned orchestra, Royal Northern Sinfonia, which calls The Glasshouse International Centre for Music in Gateshead its home.
Many of the chorus’ members are neurodivergent, and for Mary Wilson, Choral Manager of the Chorus of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, it’s about giving people the opportunity to excel no matter how they approach music.
Mary says: “Having an orchestra is often associated with privilege and class and all these things that divide us as a community, but you don’t need to have all those things to be a capable and committed musician.
“For me, it’s really important that people are given every opportunity they can get, to be the best they can be.”
A significant part of Mary’s approach is recognising the impact that small, routine adjustments can have on chorus members.
From simply closing the doors to the chorus’ practice space or changing seating plans to manage sound and limit distractions, to more bespoke solutions like offering sheet music in different coloured backgrounds, little things add up to create an inclusive environment.
“A lot of the things we do, are things we probably would have done anyway, I just now understand why I’m doing it, and the impact of not doing it,” Mary says.
“Those kinds of little things that are not actually difficult, they’re not expensive, it’s just knowing how to do it, and knowing that if you do it, you’re helping people to take part.”
While some adjustments are made to help specific members of the chorus, Mary finds it reassuring that the little changes ‘fly under the radar’.
Mary says: “In some ways I feel like that’s the best way to do it, if we’ve got a solution that works for everyone, and no-one knows it’s actually a solution.”
The Glasshouse itself has a three-pronged approach to inclusion, focussing on audience, workforce, and artists.
The venue has worked with music accessibility charity Attitude is Everything, earning their gold award for building disability equality into its venue and practices.
Programmes may include relaxed or accessible performances, and The Glasshouse will create a quiet space during busier performances, so visitors who may be experiencing a sensory overload have somewhere to go.
Ear defenders are available, and The Glasshouse offers an access scheme, which allows visitors with specific access needs to sign up and avoid the need to inform the venue of their needs on every visit.
You can see the Chorus of the Royal Northern Sinfonia perform the Music of Star Wars alongside the Royal Northern Sinfonia on May the 4th.
Accessibility at The Glasshouse
The Glasshouse has a range of measures to support visitors with any additional access needs, which can be found in full on its website.
These include:
- Ear defenders available at the box office, and quiet spaces during busy performances.
- Opportunities to see the venue before your visit and speak to staff about any questions you may have.
- Videos showing different accessible routes to reach the venue by.
- The Access Scheme, which allows staff to keep a record of your needs between visits.
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