Embracing Neurodiversity: The Rise of Inclusive Music Experiences

In the heart of Hackney, a music venue called EartH Kitchen is transforming the live music landscape. On a grey Sunday in September, the space comes alive with a unique event called Out of Body Pop, billed as "London's first neuro-inclusive music event series." As DJs spin pulsing, amorphous dance music, people dip in and out of the dancefloor, while others cluster around tables, painting landscapes or self-portraits. This is a glimpse into a growing movement that aims to make music more accessible for neurodivergent individuals.

Empowering the Neurodiverse Community Through Music

Navigating the Challenges of Neurological Diversity

Neurodiversity is a term that encompasses a range of diagnoses and experiences, including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and dyspraxia. It's estimated that one in seven people in the UK are neurodivergent, and many find traditional music events and venues overwhelming. As a music journalist with ADHD, the author has experienced firsthand the challenges of navigating festivals and concerts, often facing sudden bursts of anger or tears after days of sensory and social overwhelm."For weeks before I go to a show, I will be stressed out about it and going over every single potential outcome," says Marianne Eloise, a writer whose book Explores the convergence of autism, fandom, and fixation. "Everything about it is overwhelming, no matter how many times I do it: travelling there, getting inside, standing around annoying people, finding a space, leaving. I hate every second of a show that isn't the precise 90 minutes I am watching the band, but that time is so precious and feels so good that all the other bullshit is worth it."

Creating Inclusive Spaces for Neurodivergent Music Lovers

The aim of neuro-inclusive gigs is to reduce these obstacles and allow autistic fans and those with other neurodivergences to access music spaces without such a physical and mental toll. From dedicated events like Out of Body Pop and Disco Neurotico to relaxed performances from the London Symphony Orchestra and queer-centric events like Dalston Superstore's Spectrum club night, the neuro-inclusive live music scene is as diverse as the people who make it.Charities like Stay Up Late are campaigning to increase nightlife access for autistic people and adults with learning disabilities, while neurodivergent promoters are taking matters into their own hands, informed by lived experience and community research. "In terms of my own neurodivergence, I feel like I experience things at quite a low level of intensity," says Out of Body Pop creator Will Soer. "So part of Out of Body Pop is trying to create an environment where you can sink into something in various different ways" – hence the painting as well as dancing.

Accommodating Diverse Sensory Needs

Accessibility for neurodivergent people often revolves around making spaces feel less overwhelming, and brands are taking notice. Earplug manufacturers Loop, for example, have recently made the neurodiversity angle explicit, with their Loop Engage 2 earplugs marketed as "earplugs for ADHD."However, many neurodivergent people actively seek out highly sensory experiences, finding comfort or joy through texture, sound, or movement. When it comes to music, they might be fans of genres like black metal, EDM, or the looping rhythm of shoegaze – anything they can lose themselves in. Live, the music and the crowd can block out other mental input and positively overwhelm the senses, leaving little space for the looping, intrusive thoughts neurodivergent minds can be so prone to."I do also enjoy a pop show and have seen a ton of pop girlies live, but there is nothing like a rock show," says Eloise. "Something about the chaos, the wall of sound, the bodies crashing into each other – it doesn't really leave room for getting irritated or overwhelmed. Most of the time."

Balancing Sensory Needs and Comfort Zones

Even sensory-seekers may still feel overwhelmed at gigs, fueled by other difficulties with things such as crowds, expectations, and emotional regulation. The challenge for promoters is how to best serve these often conflicting needs. Disco Neurotico, a reimagined rave series that puts on events for neurodivergent and anxious clubbers across England, are now looking to implement "chaos rooms": spaces filled with soft-play structures, drum'n'bass, and strobe lighting, which will provide a safe environment for sensory-seeking punters."It'll be designed in a way that'll be very hard to hurt yourself or anybody else," says founder Byron Vincent. "So you can go and bounce around to your heart's content without causing anxiety to people who definitely don't want that, because there'll be separate spaces."In a landscape of such diverse needs, the broader the offering, the better. It's almost impossible for individual events to accommodate all attendees, no matter their intentions. At EartH Kitchen for Out of Body Pop, for example, punters enter directly into the gig space, and the volume can be overwhelming. However, other measures – such as the reduced audience size, the art provision, and a good re-entry policy – mean that Out of Body Pop remains a more accessible alternative for many.

The Transformative Power of Inclusive Music Experiences

When their needs are met, the impact on neurodiverse people is palpable. "The reason we focus on a good night out is because it contains some of the most important things in life: music, friendship, opportunity, freedom," explains Florence Little of Stay Up Late.As the sun sets at Out of Body Pop, singer, songwriter, and producer Kindness begins their headline DJ set. A gentle mix of Todd Rundgren's Hodja fills the space, and dancers fill the area in front of the stage, everyone given the space to be in full flow. It's a moment of pure, inclusive joy – a testament to the transformative power of music when it's made accessible to all.