Access All Areas makes disruptive performance co created by learning disabled and autistic artists. Based in London, their professional productions have toured the UK and internationally placing learning disabled and autistic experiences centre stage. Their interactive performance events create intimate moments of connection between performers and the public, disrupting spaces in venues, on the streets and in public venues.
In the UK there are over 2 million adults with learning disabilities and autism but the quality of life of people after they finish school is very limited. In the UK with only 8% of people with learning disabilities in employment and many day opportunities not existing in their communities, many are left socially isolated with only 1 in 3 people having 1 meaningful activity each week to attend.
At Access All Areas we believe in empowering people to tell their own stories and to disrupt the theatre, television and film world to be more inclusive and make sure important stories and characters from their lives are represented.
In 2014, Access All Areas began a formal partnership with one of the world’s most famous drama schools, The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London and created the Performance making Diploma. The diploma programme is a 2 year programme in theatre training and is taught by leading voice, movement and acting tutors and equips the students to make their own often edgy and innovative work. The students who graduate can go on to be represented by our agency and join our performance company of professional performers. In 2015 the diploma won the Guardian University for Student diversity and widening participation.
The performers have gone on to star in comedy and dramas on BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and in film whilst taking shows to the Edinburgh Festival and have performed in the National Theatre, Soho Theatre, Royal Court and Hampstead Theatre plus toured to Mexico and Norway.
As all the students on the diploma programme have a learning disability and/or autism and often come from low socio-economic backgrounds, we are consistently fundraising for this programme to be at a very low cost to the students themselves. Therefore any donation to our charitable work from Open College will go towards scholarships to new students on this programme.