Autistic artists in Sussex open up about loneliness
The University of Brighton taught animation to help them express challenges with communication
Last updated 13th Oct 2022
Autistic artists in Sussex have opened up about their experiences of loneliness and challenges with communication.
The University of Brighton helped them learn animation to highlight the stigma they face.
Dr Gemma Williams, who was the lead researcher on the project and has autism herself, said: “Loneliness is a really big problem for a lot of autistic people and there's this kind of, not exactly prejudice, but a belief that they don't particularly like socialising, or that they're locked in their own worlds and don't want to connect with others socially.”
As part of her research, Gemma opened the conversation around communication and set up pairs of strangers – some autistic and some not - to share their experiences.
She told us it was ‘really moving’ to see those groups connecting and finding common ground.
Gemma said: “A lot of autistic people have sensory challenges or sensitivities, so many were describing difficulties being able to go into public - you know, venues or pubs or public spaces - because they're just so noisy or overwhelming.”
There is now a lot more awareness surrounding autism in schools, workplaces and everyday life.
The work of Gemma and her team is a huge step in raising further awareness of the challenges many autistic people face and how society can work together to break down social barriers.