Autscape 2024 participants socialising. Online Autscape 2025 will include an optional social space on Discord, where we intend to create a similar atmosphere. (Photo by HP. Used by permission of everyone pictured.)
Welcome to the schedule for the online Autscape 2025 programme.
Autscape is a conference with a difference: it's specifically by and for autistic people. Some of it isn't even about autism at all! Non-autistic people are also welcome, but the environment and content of the event are centred around autistic people’s needs, interests and sensitivities.
Online Autscape 2025 includes quality performances by autistic musicians.
In 2025, we are holding an all-online Autscape from 7th to 9th February, reprising and updating last year's “Autistic Joy” theme. We will be using Zoom webinars to broadcast the presentations. In addition, there will be a space to socialise and discuss the presentations on Discord. The links to both will be sent to registered participants shortly before the event. We hope to see you there!
Lightning Talks update
All the twelve Lightning Talk slots have been filled! Please find the titles and presenters in the schedule below.
Quick links
- Presentations
- Presenters, with photos
Online programme schedule
Note that all times below are in GMT/UTC. This time zone calculator may help convert the times to your local time zone if needed.
Please click on the presentation titles and presenter names for more information.
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(Last updated: 7 Feb 2025 13:15)
Friday 7th February
| 18:30-19:00 | Orientation |
| 19:00-19:30 | Joyful Degrees: Autistic Adjustments at University (Harriet Axbey) |
| 19:30-20:00 | The joy of autistic parenting: how to build healthy and safe attachment in an autistic family (Joanna Ławicka) |
| 20:00-20:30 | Now I wanna think about all the good times – The joys of Breaking the Boundaries (Jorik Mol) |
| 20:30-21:00 | Autistic Joy and Other Hopeful Poems (Kate Fox, stand-up poet) |
| 21:00-22:00 | Sparklies in the Dark – online autistic togetherness with lots of sparkling and glowing objects |
Saturday 8th February
| 12:00-13:00 | Zoom social time in four breakout rooms: (1) crafts, (2) music, (3) images, (4) general socialising. |
| 13:00-14:00 | Abstract collage workshop (Laura Buckland Mason) |
| 14:00-15:00 | Lightning Talks. Participants were invited to hold a five-minute talk on any topic of their interest. Presenting: An autistic conlang (Gideon), Showing our joy to the world through photos (Heta Pukki), Autistic-Affirming Picture Books (Meghan Wilson Duff), Where did the Double Empathy Theory Come From? (Arden Tsang), The Hammered Dulcimer (Helen Edwards), Autistic Joy - Finding meaning through Social History and Genealogy (Willow), Màiri Mhòr nan Òran: Gaelic poet, songwriter and activist (Max Marnau), and Advertising to the Spectrum (Chelsea Verrette). |
| 15:00-16:00 | Break |
| 16:00-18:00 | Annual General Meeting (AGM) of The Autscape Organisation |
| 18:00-19:00 | Break |
| 19:00-19:30 | Musical performances by music therapist Katja Gottschewski (steel tongue drum improvisation over a very old German song, “Dunkle Wolken”), Meri Bourgois (her own songs accompanied on ukulele), and Martijn “McDutchie” Dekker (acoustic guitar rock with a neurodivergent slant) |
| 19:30-20:00 | Sensory joy to the rescue: emotional containers and portable safe spaces (Alicja Nocon) |
| 20:00-20:30 | Empowering Autistic Youth – Introducing the ACTIVATE Project (Emily Slater, Lyric Schranz and Tokyo Attard) |
| 20:30-21:00 | Piano recital. Music teacher James Pelham will play selection of slow, sensitive pieces from a variety of composers. |
Sunday 9th February
| 10:30-10:50 | Report from Japan: the radically integrated approach of Tōjisha-kenkyū (Martijn Dekker) |
| 10:50-11:30 | An autistic application of Tōjisha-kenkyū: Otoemojite self-help group, Japan (Ayaya Satsuki) |
| 11:30-12:00 | Break |
| 12:00-12:30 | Music, word-sounds and the taste of languages (Max Marnau) |
| 12:30-13:00 | The Joy of Engineering (Barnabear) |
| 13:00-13:30 | Lightning Talks. Participants were invited to hold a five-minute talk on any topic of their interest. Presenting: Co-organising a queer-autistic meetup in Berlin, Germany (Gal Schkolnik), Florence Meets the Machine: How AI Changes Computing (Alastair Cooper), Rebuilding Autistic Joy during Recovery (Susy Ridout), Squeegee Art (Laura Buckland Mason). |
| 13:30-14:00 | Break |
| 14:00-14:30 | Chillout Classical Piano (Madge Woollard) |
| 14:30-15:15 | Discussion panel |
| 15:15-15:30 | Closing |