NETWORK NEURODIVERSITY

Care Pods & Sharing Circles: Cultivating Collective Care in Learning Spaces

Uferstudios, Studio 12

Mondays: 27.10., 03.11., 10.11., 17.11., 24.11., 01.12., 08.12., 15.12.

Angela Alves

Studium Generale

This seminar is shaped as a Care Pod and will take place in a relaxed studio setting at Uferstudios in Berlin-Wedding, offering a space where we can build deeper bonds—where we feel heard, held, seen, and supported in this period of political cri- sis and threat. Drawing on Mia Mingus’ concept of Care Pods, this seminar explores how mutual care, trust, and interdependence can shape the way we learn and support one another. Rooted in the practice of Sharing Circles, we will engage in regular meetings throughout the summer semester, guided by the principles of free associative speech without interruption, judgment, advice-giving, or problem-solving objectives. Here, uninterrupted speaking and deep, active listening are at the heart of our practice. Participants will gain practical experience in creating and sustaining Care Pods, developing collective care strategies that challenge traditional hierarchical learning models. Together, we will cultivate a pedagogy of interdependence, resilience, and accountability, centering neurodivergent experiences and situated knowledge. This seminar is open to anyone invested in reimagining learning as a practice of care, solidarity, and transformation.

CONTEXTUAL READING SESSION

STUDIO: TBC

Tuesday-Thursday, 14.-16.10.25 11:00-13:00

Prof. Claire Cunningham, Luke Pell

For: SODA

REFLECTION & DISCUSSION SESSION

STUDIO: TBC

Tuesday-Thursday, 14.10-16.10: 14:00-17:30

Prof. Claire Cunningham, Luke Pell, Nadja Dias

For: SODA, BA 2, BA 3, BA 3+

The following week is split in a series of morning contextual reading sessions hosted by Prof. Sandra Noeth with Luke Pell and Claire Cunningham where we will consider some key texts from writer-researchers contributing to the gathering - Eli Clare, Julia Watts-Belser and Kenny Fries - along with material from other critical thinkers in the field of disability and performance studies. Students will then spend the afternoon, hosted individually by gathering curator and Research Associate Luke Pell, Artistic Associate Nadja Dias and Prof. Claire Cunningham to further consider thematic, formal, dramaturgical and production aspects of the programme and its relevance to their own individual practice and learning more broadly.

WAYFARERS

Navigating research, practice and production

STUDIO: TBC

Tuesday-Friday: 14:00-17: 30

13.01.-16.01 Nadja Dias

20.01.-23.01 Claire Cunningham

Prof. Claire Cunningham, Nadja Dias

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3,

In this two-week seminar Claire Cunningham together with Artistic Associate/ Executive Producer Nadja Dias will use Claire’s latest work and research ‘Songs of the Wayfarer’ as a starting point for these two interconnected seminar weeks. In the first week of the seminar Nadja Dias will introduce producing practices that underpin the realization of a work. Starting from before the idea itself and moving on to how to navigate from an idea to artistic research to a final production. From seeding, developing and articulating an artistic idea, building your artistic and production team to financing, production planning and access students will be invited to start working on their own projects and plans. In week two Claire Cunningham will draw on her own research processes, in particular wayfaring and journeying, to explore acts of stravaigin (a Scots word meaning to stroll or wander), walking* and navigating. Prof. Claire Cunningham will share material and movement scores from her recent performance work, Songs of the Wayfarer. In these sessions we will consider a range of different influences and philosophies from Crip and disabled identifying artists and thinkers, and their lived experiences, as a point of departure for students reflecting upon and sharing their own ways of moving through the world. Together we’ll move between different modes of conversation, journeying and companionship to think in relationship to our own experiences of time, energy and attention, asking questions such as ‘what does walking* mean for me?’ The week will include reading and discussion of texts (in English) by leading disabled and Crip writers (please note reading content will be kept minimal and can be provided as audio with advance notice). 

LISTEN & LUNCH

Hybrid/ online

Wednesday 28.01.2026 12:30-14:00

90 minute session

Claire Cunningham, Nadja Dias, Luke Pell

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, MaC

Students are invited to join members of the Crip | Choreo | Care team – Prof Claire Cunningham, Artistic Associate Nadja Dias or Research Associate Luke Pell and invited disabled guest artists, peers and allies over lunch to listen to them discuss questions arising through artistic process. Stay on if you have time to join the discussion, share reflections or ask questions. These events recognize the importance of alternative formats for learning, particularly for disabled and neurodivergent learners and those living with long-term illness and chronic-health conditions. The team are committed to offering a range of digital and in presence formats throughout the professorship that allow people to engage with this project and their teaching both in person and remotely, in relationship to their access needs and as they may need.

ARTISTIC MENTORING

Online

Various dates throughout the semester

(90 min session, by individual appointment)

Prof. Claire Cunningham

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, maC

Students are invited to register for these drop-in sessions to reflect on questions or concerns around – artistic practice and process, development, creative access and care.

Creating and managing your own Access Rider: One to One Mentoring Sessions

Seminarraum 2

Mondays: 27.10.–15.12.25 & 12.01.– 09.02.26 13:00-15:00

Angela Alves

Channel 4

Students are invited to register for these drop-in sessions to get familiar with the concept of Access Riders. The sessions are about upskilling disabled and/or chronically ill artists and arts professionals about what an Access Rider is, how to write it, what language to use and how to use it when collaborating with colleagues and institutions.

PRODUCING, ACCESS & ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT: ONE TO ONE MENTORING SESSIONS

Online

Wednesdays: 22.10.25 – 11.02.2026 14:30-18:00

(90 min session, by individual appointment)

Nadja Dias

For: BA 1, BA 2, BA 3, MA SODA, MaC

Students are invited to register for these drop-in sessions to discuss, plan and produce their final showings, productions and/or other projects they are currently working on. In these sessions students can start planning ahead of their next semester projects or receive input and support in planning, communication and access provision as part of their projects and productions -considered in relationship to their developing practice. The sessions are tailored to each individual students’ needs, interests and level of expertise and can focus on drawing up timelines, tools for mapping practice and recurring thematic concerns, production plans, budgets and access riders. Students should have an artistic idea/ proposal or project they like to develop into a production or a keen interest to structure their developing practice and working methods.

IF YOU LEAVE ME NOW….

STUDIO: TBC

Monday – Friday, 05.- 09.01.2026 11:00-17:30

Claire Cunningham & Juli Reinartz

For: Studium generale

As part of Kollisionen 2026 Claire Cunningham opens a space to consider the act of leaving. This week is hosted by Claire Cunningham together with artist/ choreographer Juli Reinartz and continues initial questions started as part of Kollisionen 2025 in order to investigate:

· Is it rude/negative for an audience member to leave a performance?

· How does the design of performance spaces affect the potential to leave?

· How does performing arts training prepare us (or not) for the act of leaving?

· Are some people more able to leave than others? Do we care about this?

· What if we made performance that invited people to leave? What would this be? Is it possible?

Juli Reinartz and Claire Cunningham will draw on crip and disabled artists work to look at ways we can consider the act of leaving, and particularly what it means in performance contexts. This project will be shaped by their practice in creating accessible spaces, the aesthetics of access and choreographies of care. This lab invites students to consider the act of leaving – with particular focus around performance events and spaces. We will take time to look at our experiences and preconceptions (as audience and performer) and consider the social pressures and stigmas of leaving. We will undertake activities including conversations, reading, writing, moving (simple choreographic exercises that are open and accessible), arranging spaces, and potentially visit some performance spaces to consider design. We may also look at how performance training could equip us better for audiences leaving or even use some time to practice leaving or “being left”. Other suggestions of actions/activities are welcome to shape the week and our time together. We can also (based on desires of the group) open up the concept of “leaving” to allow other experiences of this idea to shape our research, and allow for different proposals and directions to surface during the week. These sessions welcome people who have diverse physicalities, sensory modalities, use mobility tech and/or are neurodivergent. Everyone is encouraged to engage as they need, in relationship to their levels of energy, pace and scale when moving, reading, speaking, etc. Everyone is free to rest as required; to come and go as they need. The sessions will be led in Scottish English. Outside activity proposals/off-site visits will be weather dependent.

You can view part of the final presentation in wirtten form here.