Hi, I’m Jess.
I’m an autistic playwright, director, facilitator, and access coordinator.
About Me
Every story deserves to be told. The challenge is getting people to listen.
Words have always been my life’s anchor with books, theatre and the screen providing my natural source of solace. It is however at the theatre where I feel most alive.
Despite my love of the arts, I worried that there wasn’t a place for me because I was an autistic woman in theatre.
I didn’t see people like me working in theatre, working in the arts, or stories like mine on stage. I was terrified of taking up space so, I made a leap in an attempt to see if there was anyone out there that felt like me. That’s when I wrote Chameleon and realised the demand for autistic stories and sensory-adapted (relaxed) theatre for neurodivergent and autistic adults.
Through combining my creative approach with my research, I’ve received National Lottery Project Grants, Keep it Fringe Funding and commendations recognising the need for integrated access. Integrated access is not just a necessity but, also benefits everyone in the audience and those creating it.
With experience across outdoor arts, film, fringe theatre, site-specific theatre, community engagement and co-creation, I’ve worked with multiple D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent communities and prioritised the importance of accessible theatre and the value of stories derived from lived experience in every step of creation.
I believe that being bold, open, and honest is a path to connection with our audiences and other key arts professionals. I believe the best work is created where access is thoughtfully, meaningfully integrated and treated as the foundation of a creative project, rather than a disingenuous add-on.
My Approach
Trusting Lived Experience
Each creative project needs one essential element: people. I believe that the arts is the best way for us to connect with each other and our community. Lived-experience is vital when creating any type of work; listening to our community and letting people’s lived experience shape and inform creative narratives, allowing us to learn more about each other in an intimate, informed way that comes from a truthful place.
Creating a Safe and Trauma-Informed Space
Art can be vulnerable. In encouraging people to share, it’s vital that a safe space is created with their wellbeing at the centre. Having trained as a Trauma-Informed Practitioner with Collective Encounters, I’m able to consider the well-being of everyone involved in my creative projects, from workshop participants to actors to producers, to ensure that what is being shared is safe for everyone in the room.
Embedding Access From The Ground Up
Access and inclusion are non-negotiable elements of my projects and the first things I consider when beginning my work; not just for the audience but also for everyone involved in its creation.
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Central Mission
I strive to create and collaborate on vibrant, truthful work that embeds inclusion, access and lived-experience at its core.
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Successful Funding Bids
Awarded the Keep it Fringe fund in 2024 and a National Lottery Project Grant in 2025, fundraising a total of £15,000+ for creative projects.
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Years of Experience
As a multi-disciplinary creative, I’ve worked across theatre, community engagement, outdoor arts and facilitation.
Get in Touch!
Schedule a free 1:1 online session with me to see how we can work together and how you can embed access and lived experience into your next creative project (or, just to network!).
*If the above times don’t work for you, send me an email and we can find a date that suits both of our schedules.