Co - Founder and Director

Melissa has a background in professional theatre as a designer and maker, and is an Associate Lecturer in Drama at the University of Kent. She has written extensively on the Bauhaus stage, practice as research, puppetry and applied theatre. She was Co-Investigator on the AHRC project Imagining Autism (2011-2014) and Playing A/Part (2018-2022) investigating autistic girls' creativity, imagination and experiences.

Co- Founder & Director

Helena has a background in Live Art practice with over 20 years of experience as an artist, facilitator and performer. Her humorous personal art practice, most often located outside of gallery walls, explored identity, play, emotion, inter- subjectivity, and the longing for connection. Since joining the iA team in 2017 she has been involved in projects involving the arts and neurodivergence, as a puppeteer and facilitator in participatory arts and theatre with and for children with complex needs; and also gained experience as a teaching assistant and support worker, supporting autistic children and adults in a variety of settings.

Co-Founder & Advisory Lead

Nickie is Professor of Performance with research and teaching specialisms in contemporary performance, autobiography, and applied and socially engaged theatre. Her research work explores the cognitive and physiological processes involved in making, participating in and experiencing performance. In addition to authoring and contributing to extensive publications, she has been involved many practice-based research projects in education, health and workplace contexts.

Dramaturg and Creative Facilitator

Maryjane is a dramaturg, director, performer, researcher and producer with a wealth of theatre and participative arts experience. As one half of Red Threaders Dramaturgy, she was an original creative practitioner on the University of Kent Imagining Autism project, playing a dramaturgical role in developing the immersive spaces and improvisatory content. Maryjane's dramaturgical practice is playful, inquisitive and supportive, and is informed by her strong people skills and wealth of experience in a wide variety of theatre, performance and participative arts

Associate Artist

Annette is a multidisciplinary performance and live artist, Autistic self-advocate who completed a PhD in 2021. Annette’s autobiographical, multidisciplinary performance work has been informed by feminism, identity, gender, sexuality, and difference. Annette is dyslexic and dyspraxic, and was diagnosed as Autistic aged 39. This has led them to become an Autistic and neurodivergent self-advocate and to undertake a funded PhD at the University of Kent starting in 2016 and completed 2021

Associate Artist & technologist

Jonathan initially trained in software and electronics and worked for over 20 years, commercially and in academia. In 2009 they moved into the creative industries and create interactive digital artworks, multi-sensory installations and participatory artworks, as well as designing and performing live digital visuals.

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER

We're not a regluarly funded organisation, just currently starting out. We don't have paid staff to get back to your enquiries - but will try to as soon as we can. Sometimes Dennis needs a bit of a nudge...

Head of Marketing

Bob, our head of marketing doesn't like to come into the office, preferring to stay out in the wild.