Neurodivergent Artist Mentoring
I am an experienced mentor. For over a decade I have facilitated one-to-one mentoring for artists, practice-led researchers, and students, working within the contexts of performance art, dance, theatre, fine art, and writing. Drawing on my lived experience of being late-diagnosed autistic, and combined with professional training, I am experienced in and particularly welcome mentoring neurodiverse artists. I am passionate about supporting artists who are returning to making work following illness and (autistic) burnout.
By identifying a clear project or set of aims, mentoring supports a range of activities, for example:
- developing projects
- designing a sustainable practice
- self employed working practices
- devising and making
- critical reflection
- dramaturgy
- rehearsal direction
- funding applications
- applications to MA / PhD
- PhD supervision / interlocution
- dissertation supervision
- feedback on writing / research
- relevant pastoral support
- GfA access support
- signposting
- autistic burnout
- neurodiversity strategy support
Mentoring is conducted at a distance using online platforms, and can take the following forms:
These session are 1 hour long. In advance of the session, I will look in detail at your work, and give you a fresh perspective on your practice, as well suggesting contexts for your work. Following the session I send an advice sheet which summarises the session, as well as including links to relevant organisations, artists, and grant opportunities.
• Project-based Mentoring
These sessions are structured around a specific project that you are undertaking, and the number of sessions is time-limited to the duration of your project; for example, an exhibition you are currently preparing, or an Arts Council Project.
• Regular Mentoring & Coaching
These sessions will provide strategic support to help you evaluate your practice to-date, and set medium and long-term goals. Together we will assess what is working for you and what barriers you are facing. Based on this, we'll agree a set of aims and through regular sessions (i.e. weekly, twice-weekly, monthly), I will support you to implement changes and stay on track to realise your goals.
• Access Support
These sessions are specifically for artist's who have access needs. I am experienced in delivering Access Support to neurodiverse artists engaged in Arts Council England Project Grants, for example; support to write your application, support to manage your project, support to evaluate your project, and complete your project report.
I have expertise in and am open to mentoring within the following areas of arts practice:
- process philosophy
- somatics
- dance
- choreography
- performance art
- performance-to-camera
- moving image
- live art
- action art
- body-based practices
- interdisciplinary practices
- writing
- performance writing
- autistic perception
- kinaesthesia
- spirituality & performance
- healing & performance
- consciousness
- neurodiversity
- intersectionality
- experiences of working class people in arts, culture & academia
- invisible disability / disability studies
- working at the intersection of art, health, community & voluntary sectors
- art &/as activism
To arrange a free, 20 min, no obligation, video / telephone call to explore mentoring, please email:
v.gray@live.co.uk
It is helpful (but not essential) if you include the following information:
- Your reason for seeking mentoring
- How you will fund your mentoring: e.g. self-funded or a grant
- Whether you are unwaged and/or claiming means tested benefits
I aim to respond to queries within 48 hours.
My hourly rate is £50 per hour, in line with:
- Arts Council England Fair Pay Guidance
- Unlimited guidance on rates for disabled artists
- a-n Artists' Information Company Guidelines
- Association for Coaching
The hourly rate includes the following:
- Preparation before your session (planning, handouts, resources, research, worksheets)
- 1 hour session
- A follow-up email with relevant signposting, prompts & goals for the following session
If I have capacity, I offer a reduction for people who are unemployed, on low income or in receipt of means tested benefits. If my standard hourly rate is a barrier for you, please let me know.
Once you have booked in for mentoring / coaching, you will receive a Welcome Pack and a Client Agreement.
Artists I have worked with include:
Dr Didier Morelli; April Lin; Robbie Blake; Dre Spisto; Roberto Picciau; Roberta Jean; Beth Kingston-Lee; Ruth Yates; Roma Hardaker; Hollie Miller; Ben Lunn; Sam Williams; Noah Silver; Maj Britt Jensen, Dr Gillian Dyson; Alicia Radage; Selina Bonelli; Lauren McNicoll; Rakesh Mohindra; Hugh Hamshaw Thomas; KJ McCoy; Vasundhara Sellamuthu; Emma Franks; Laurence Collis; Maddy Attwood; michael. ; Tim Dodds; Augusto Corrieri
Clients I have worked with to deliver & design mentoring include:
Zurich University of the Arts; Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music & Dance; Leeds Beckett University; Centre for Research into Autism & Education University College London; Artquest; Arts Council England; Creative Scotland Local Authorities in North East England & Yorkshire; The Retreat Neurodevelopmental Service York; Spectrum First Education; Mind (York); BEAT (Eating Disorders)
TESTIMONIALS
Whilst talking with Victoria it has been very clear how informed she is about navigating and developing one's personal art practice. During our 1-1 session it was clear that Victoria had taken the time to closely examine and understand my art practice and my creative ambitions. She had carefully considered tangible steps I could take in order to move closer towards my immediate endeavours and goals. This felt extremely validating and encouraging, particularly at a time when I was feeling fairly stagnant. My engagement with Victoria has made all the difference - her advice has been extremely well informed and practical, and I hope to have continued contact with her in the future. Thank you for the vote of confidence.
Lauren McNicoll - Artist (UK) [2024]
Victoria was a mentor as part of a programme delivered by Centre for Research in Autism & Education at University College London, on Autism and the Arts. The aim of the programme was to improve occupational self-confidence in autistic people working in the performing arts. Victoria was sensitive to the needs of her autistic mentees and went above and beyond what was expected of her in the role. She was caring and compassionate and showed great understanding and empathy for any challenges autistic mentees involved in the programme experienced. She came to the role with a wealth of experience in the arts that she shared with her mentees and was able to impart fantastic and practical advice to them. As a mentor, she maintained confidentiality and communicated clearly when any issues arose. Victoria is a skilled mentor.
Elinor Buckey - Programme Coordinator - Centre for Autism and Education, University College London [2020]
Victoria mentored me as part of my NLPG project focussing on Neurodiversity and Shamanism. Initially I had asked Victoria to mentor me around neurodiversity in the arts, both in the context of the industry and my own curatorial project. What I got from the sessions were so much more than I expected! Victoria gave me endless inspiration that fed into my personal artistic practice. This manifested as cultural references that contextualised and deepened my work as well as expansive questions and provocations for my developing artworks. Victoria’s approach is incredibly kind and gentle whilst being thorough and profound. You feel safe with her to challenge the core of yourself and your work. I couldn’t recommend working with her enough.
Alicia Radage - Artist [2022]
I worked with Victoria on the realigning of my body based performance practice in 2022, supported by a DYCP grant from Arts Council England. My time with Victoria as mentor was invaluable as she is such a trusted and experienced colleague. Her sensitive and precise perspective on somatic and object based performance art enabled me to extend my own approaches in studio; our broader discussions around issues of gender, ageing and illness were both personally and professionally enriching. Relationships such as this are invaluable in the art community as we age, shift our interests, adapt to our needs and share our knowledge. As a result of working with Victoria and other respected mentors, I have created new solo performance work that has been presented at the ‘Emergency/ Word of Warning Festival 23’, Manchester UK.
Gillian Dyson-Moss - Artist [2022]
My sessions with Victoria brought a lot of insight into how my neurodivergent experience affects and is affected by work as an artist and within arts administration. I left each session feeling inspired, motivated, and supported, and am keen to share these lessons in my resulting collaborations and projects. Victoria shared a lot of resources, advice, and experiences with me that have been incredibly helpful in reframing how working within the arts sector can centre a neurodivergent standpoint, both emotionally and practically. It is a really giving experience to speak with someone who you don't have to dilute yourself for, and who is well-placed to give you support and advice, as they themselves have gone through similar issues.
April Lin - Artist [2022]
I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to be mentored by Victoria! She provided me with an empathic and structured process of mentorship. I always felt comforted, seen and valued during our sessions. Victoria uses her own experiences and learnings to provide understanding, support and insight in developing my work and practice. She has a gentle and steady approach, which I have benefited and learned from. I hope to continue working with Victoria.
Dre Spisto - Artist [2022]
Victoria’s mentoring was brilliant in helping me to blossom in both my performance practice and personal development as an emerging autistic artist. She provided an open and supportive space for insightful conversations, nuanced and enriching development ideas, and encouragement in my journey of self-discovery through my art. Thanks to her mentorship scheme, I have deepened my understanding of relevant fields, grown in confidence. Best of all, her mentoring provided many valuable tools and avenues to express my Autistic Joy not just in my work but myself - it’s now become my philosophy for life! Thank you so much for such a unique and positive experience.
Beth Kingston-Lee - Artist (UK) [2022]
Working with Victoria was incredibly rewarding and enriching for my practice. Her mentorship provided me with a deep contextual knowledge to help me support the work I’ve been making and our conversations provided me with a wealth of information and references. Our correspondence was easy, enriching and often theoretical but never overwhelming. Victoria’s communication was kind, clear and incredibly generous allowing me to easily work with her. My practice has moved forward immensely since being mentored by Victoria, with her help I’ve been able find the confidence to make brave decisions in my work and pivot my practice in interesting ways.
Roma Hardaker - Artist (UK) [2021]
Victoria gave me lots of encouragement and resources to explore my autistic identity, both within our sessions and outside them, with recommended reading and online material. I really appreciated her sensitivity and warm, approachable manner. She was very affirming of my experiences and helped me to understand and experience autistic joy.
Ruth - Artist (UK) [2022]
Victoria has been an interlocutor to me over the past few years, informally advising and supporting my development. I highly recommend her as a mentor to any artist with a body based practice for her deep awareness of the subtleties and complexities regarding quiet interior somatic work that is often difficult to verbalize, quantify and decipher.
Hollie Miller - Artist (UK) [2021]
In 2013, I was beginning my path as both a performance artist and academic, trying to navigate the complexities of both of these fields. As a mentor, Victoria is someone who understands the theoretical intricacies of movement studies, while engaging with practice on her own terms. She has continuously supported and guided my professional work and personal growth with generosity, clarity, and sincerity. Her involvement in my development has had undeniable impacts on my approach to both performance and writing.
Didier Morelli – Independent artist & PhD candidate (Northwestern University, Chicago, USA) [2018]
Working with Victoria has enriched my practice. Professionally, working with Victoria is a clear, organised and considerate process, one that I hope continues into new projects.
Sam Williams – Independent artist (London, UK) [2019]
I'd like to take this time to say a massive thank you for your support, advice and influence over the last year. Without your guidance I would have struggled, and your insight has helped me to nurture my performance practice and my line of research.
Carla May Morrill – MA Performance student (Leeds Beckett University, UK) [2018]
Victoria has given me the most sensitive and meticulous external response to my work that I have ever received. Through carefully engaging with my work, she was able to offer multidisciplinary recommendations and mentoring advice that I revisit to this day. No other mentor has taken the time to nurture my practice in this way, balancing thoughts and feelings with intellectual exchange. Victoria has also assisted in my successful PhD application, giving a thorough reference, and precise and encouraging feedback.
Maj Britt Jensen – Independent artist & PhD candidate (The University of British Columbia, Canada) [2016]
Victoria delivered an Interlude workshop at Northumbria University running a group session with students and professionals from BA and MA Fine Art, Drama and Animation. Victoria's approach made the group feel comfortable and relaxed to talk and take part in the discussions and activities. Each participant in the group was able to take some part of the workshops and relate it to their own practice. Overall the workshop was exciting and eye opening to the theories and techniques of intrinsic body movements and how we can use this as individuals or collaboratively within a space.
Georgia Bates – MA Fine Art student (Northumbria University, UK)
It was a very enriching and joint experience of exchange between peers, thank you so much for the quality of your presence, presentation and trust. We discovered new ways of sharing knowledge and the ongoing discussion allowed the group to find forms that matched our sensibility, bringing empowering or simply stimulating encounters.
Laura Von Niederhausen – PhD candidate (Zurich University of the Arts)