Autscape autistic conference 2025

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Autscape is an autistic-led, autistic-run residential event running from 4th to 7th August 2025 at The Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire, United Kingdom.

Registration is open until May 31st: https://www.autscape.org/2025/registration/

List of presentations: https://www.autscape.org/2025/programme/presentations

Provisional schedule: https://www.autscape.org/2025/programme/schedule

Will you be there?

An #autscape2025 highlight:
On Tuesday, 5th August 2025, Kim Mears will be presenting her talk entitled “Multi-Modal Communication Spaces”.
“Multi-modal communication is using a range of different ways to get your message across including sign, symbols and text to speech, also known as alternative and augmentative communication (AAC).

For a long time, AAC has been dominated by a single behavioural approach often as a last resort for autistic nonspeaking children. Over recent years, lived experience researchers such as endever* corbin and Alyssa Zisk have highlighted the need for communication options for all autistic people including individuals who have periods when they don’t have access to mouth words.

This talk will discuss the benefits of increased knowledge of different ways of communicating and communication identities, such as part-time AAC user and semi-speaking, explore the potential challenges of an exclusionary society that privileges speech and perpetuates stigma and discuss possible ways to advocate for inclusive, autonomous communication spaces.”

Autscape is an autistic-led, autistic-run residential event running from 4th to 7th August 2025 at The Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire.

Registration is open until May 31st: https://www.autscape.org/2025/registration/

An #autscape2025 highlight:
On Wednesday, 6th August 2025, Angela Kingdon from the Autistic Culture Podcast will be running a workshop entitled “Building Autistic-First Spaces Through Podcasting”.

“Autistic people are often expected to adapt to neurotypical spaces—but what happens when we create our own? This session explores Autistic-first spaces, focusing on how Autistic-led podcasts provide an evolving space for authentic communication, connection, and cultural expression.

Using The Autistic Culture Podcast and the Neurodivergent Podcaster Collective as examples, we will examine how podcasts enable deep dives into special interests, allow for asynchronous, sensory-friendly communication, offer a platform for Autistic-led storytelling, and build autistic community outside of NT-dominated spaces.

In this hands-on workshop, participants will gain practical insights about how podcasts function as autistic-first spaces and they will have the opportunity to design their own Autistic-first podcast concepts to experience the difference. Together, we’ll select one standout idea, and I’ll work with the creators to produce a pilot episode, bringing an Autistic-first podcast to life beyond Autscape.”

Autscape is an autistic-led, autistic-run residential event running from 4th to 7th August 2025 at The Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire.

Registration is open until May 31st: https://www.autscape.org/2025/registration/

An #Autscape2025 highlight:
On Tuesday, 5th August 2025, Laura Buckland Mason will be running a workshop entitled “A Little Piece Of Autistic Space: An Art Workshop & (Optional) Postcard Swap”.

“Join Laura to create your own little piece of autistic space, in the form of a handmade art postcard, to swap with others or to take home with you. In this guided workshop we will discuss why autistic space is important to us, then use pens, coloured pencils and simple collage materials to create postcard-sized artworks inspired by our thoughts, feelings and experiences of autistic space. Participants will then have the opportunity to take part in an art swap, or can choose to take their own postcard(s) home with them. No previous art experience is required, and materials will be provided. All ages welcome.”

Autscape is an autistic-led, autistic-run residential event running from 4th to 7th August 2025 at The Hayes Conference Centre in Derbyshire.

Registration is open until 29 June: https://www.autscape.org/2025/registration/

List of presentations: https://www.autscape.org/2025/programme/presentations
Provisional schedule: https://www.autscape.org/2025/programme/schedule

I just came across this thread and wish I’d known about Kim Mears’ talk sooner — Multimodal Communication Spaces sounds like the kind of work I’ve been quietly exploring on my own.

I’m especially interested in how autistic communication can extend beyond words into sensory, rhythmic, or spatial forms — things like touch, vibration, or even shared rhythm as language.

Did anyone here attend the presentation, or know if recordings or transcripts are available? I’d really like to learn more and maybe join related discussions.

I attended Autscape, but not Kim's presentations. I know it took place at the Main Conference Hall. Most presentations that took place there were filmed. Possibly all of them. So eventually it may appear on Autscape's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@autscape6701
I don't know when.

As someone who met *hundreds* of autistics in real life (mostly at Autscape conferences throughout the years), I can say that autistic communication does extend into the sensory, rhythmic and spacial realms.

Autistics are extremely different from each other, though. Some are hypersensitive and some hyposensitive. Some are hyper-rhythmic and some hypo-rhythmic. And there are obviously endless different ways of being sensitive or rhythmic.

So if you are looking for one unifying autistic sensory-rhythmic-spatial language, I don't think you will find it.

If you are looking for a whole universe of autistic sensory-rhythmic-spatial languages, including languages that may be very far from each other or contradict each other, then I think you have much to explore and discover.