An Australian Perspective on Neurodiversity in the Performing Arts: Authentic Voices

This book explores neurodiversity in the performing arts through personal stories of artists navigating training and industry pressures. Drawing on interviews with 12 Australian performing arts practitioners, it highlights the need for safer, inclusive spaces. Authored by Dan Graham and Robert Lewis, it adopts an auto-ethnographic approach.

Exploring the lived experiences of neurodiverse artists in the Australian performing arts industry, it highlights how these artists have navigated the demands of training, education, and professional work. The book addresses issues such as safe creative environments, inclusive performance practices, and the often-challenging dynamics of rehearsal rooms, classrooms, and industry hierarchies. It also investigates how neurodiverse practitioners experience and adapt to institutional learning and systemic pressures. The authors present real accounts of resilience and adaptation, calling for structural changes in theatre and education. The book includes a foreword by Professor Bree Hadley and an introduction by the authors, reflecting on their own experiences. Ultimately, it provides valuable insights into the intersections of neurodiversity, education, artistic identity, and institutional practice in contemporary Australia.

This book is particularly useful for educators, theatre practitioners, and policymakers seeking to create more inclusive and supportive environments for neurodiverse artists. By offering firsthand accounts and practical insights, it equips readers with a deeper understanding of the barriers and enablers within training institutions and the performing arts industry, fostering meaningful change.

Robert Lewis is a Lecturer in Performing Arts at Charles Sturt University. He is a graduate of NIDA, UTAS, RMIT, Monash University and is a Certified Integrative Practitioner from the One Voice Centre and is the author of ’The Third Space: Body, Voice, and Imagination’.

Dan Graham is a theatre director and disability advocate who has collaborated with leading Australian companies including Bell Shakespeare, and Ensemble Theatre. A recipient of the Gilbert Spottiswood Churchill Fellowship, he researches ways to expand professional opportunities for neurodiverse artists in the performing arts sector.