Queer Arts Commission: Finding the Right Words

‘Finding the Right Words‘ is the launch of Debris Stevenson’s dyslexic-artistic exploration of being diagnosed with ADHD and documenting the whole process on WhatsApp. After being poked, probed, paper-worked and diagnosed, Finding The Right Words is a reclamation of language for the neuro-spicey experience from the seasoned perspective.

Neuroqueerness to me is the act of diverging from the “norm”, the status quo, what I was told I should be. It’s following the weird, wild, meandering parts of myself that society once convinced me to fight.

As with ADHD, the evening is comprised of several parts: ·

• Debris’ initial poetic, divergent and multi-disciplinary musings through sound-led poetry, movement and music.
• Poems from the National Youth Theatre.
• Reading from new work ‘My Brother’s a Genius’ with National Youth Theatre, a play by Debris about neurodivergent twins learning how to fly.
• A Q&A on Neurodiverse Queers: Love, friendship and navigating the majority.
• Special guest poets to be announced.

This event is one of Queer Arts Commissions, an incredible line up of neuroqueer and multidisciplinary artists, award-winning producers and writers exploring the theme of identity through a variety of art forms, and touch on subjects such as gender, faith, queer arts, and mental wellbeing.

‘Finding the Write Words’ is a larger project in collaboration with Hannah Silva.

In collaboration with Raze Collective and part of This Is Croydon’s Queer Arts Development Strand. The Commission has been generously supported by Arts Council England and This Is Croydon.

London Borough of Culture is a Mayor of London initiative, with support from Arts Council England and National Lottery Heritage Fund.