Ullapool teenager to feature in new BBC documentary
AN Ullapool teenager is set to feature in a new BBC documentary exploring the misconceptions and links between autism and creativity.
The new BBC ALBA documentary puts a spotlight on Scotland’s autistic artists as they share how creativity has helped them find community, harness their unique talents and express their individuality in a new documentary, Trusadh: Mo Mhac-meanmna Òtasamach [My Autistic Imagination].
The hour-long programme, premiering on March 10 at 9pm, follows writer and artist Eòghainn MacGregor as they travel the length of the country to meet with musicians, painters, illustrators and dancers. This includes the young autistic activist from Ullapool, Nuala MacDonald, whose creativity knows no bounds. She explains that, for her, autism gives her a strong creative advantage allowing her to imagine things in great detail and edit visuals in her mind.
Eòghainn goes on to visit Project Ability – an inclusive space that offers users the opportunity to participate in an artistic community no matter what their needs. Then, in Edinburgh, two friends take Eòghainn on a sensory journey, using dance and soundscape to draw them into the weird and wonderful world of mushrooms.
Meeting David Nicolson from the National Autism Awareness Society, who is also a musician, they discuss the challenges for autistic people accessing the arts in Scotland, and beyond. A notoriously tough industry to navigate, where networking can be the difference between success and struggle, neurodiverse people are often at a disadvantage when it comes to turning their creative pursuits into a career.
The status of US-native Eòghainn’s leave to remain application, adds an emotional weight to their journey. Having moved frequently across the States as a child, they describe arriving in Scotland at 19 as an immediate feeling that they’d found home.
Trusadh: Mo Mhac-meanmna Òtasamach premieres on BBC ALBA and BBC iPlayer on March 10.
