ABOUT
Magical Women was founded by Elinor Rowlands, an Autistic/ADHD disabled artist, experienced art psychotherapist and Arts researcher, Autism/ADHD coach and arts mentor. While the initial concept was developed at the end of 2019, the project officially launched in March 2020, with support from a National Lottery Project Grant from Arts Council England.
Magical Women is an autistic and ADHD-led initiative dedicated to supporting neurodivergent (ND) women and non-binary artists. We create relaxed, accessible, and empowering spaces for artistic expression, disseminating neurodivergent language, vocabulary, and methodologies that liberate ND artists to authentically be themselves.
Our mission is to platform and share the art and writing of ND artists with wider, more diverse audiences. As a neurodivergent-affirming and trans-feminist artistic space, we operate collaboratively, consisting of solo artist practitioners working together through generous sharing rather than as a formal organisation.
In 2020/21, Magical Women hosted 24 workshops via Zoom, including “Making Space for Art,” “Neurodivergent Writers Workshops,” and “Magical Journey Art Workshops,” engaging over 125 participants. Our online workshops have increased access for those who may have faced geographic or logistical barriers to participation. These sessions serve as a virtual sanctuary for isolated ND women, empowering them to create art in an environment that fosters bravery and autonomy.
We also delivered a series of online exhibitions with audio descriptive tours and events, culminating in a publication that celebrated the work of 49 ND women artists. This book is sold in the Live Art Development Agency’s bookshop Unbound. Looking ahead, Magical Women is focused on developing new approaches to access and creative enablement for neurodivergent and survivor artists, both online and in physical spaces.
In 2023, we secured funding from the Supporting Act Foundation, which allowed us to create this website, conduct Leadership Arts Training workshops, and support Magical Women artists in facilitating their own workshops with necessary access provisions in the Festival of Magical Workshops. Although we currently lack funding, we remain committed to meeting the needs of autistic/ADHD women and non-binary artists by facilitating workshops, hosting Winter Covens, and organising performances. We also plan to explore rewilding walking trails through sound, the mystic, folkloric stories, and live art.
Our founder, Elinor, established Magical Women during a time of limited mobility and hopes to bring these initiatives into physical spaces as her mobility improves.
Magical Women will differ from traditional art workshops because it is facilitated by an Autistic and ADHD woman and a non-binary disabled artist. We serve as a platform for neurodivergent women and non-binary artists, offering a space to nurture our creative practices, access training, and provide support.
Our project embraces the diverse and divergent experiences of neurodivergent individuals, fostering an environment where we can fully engage our unique brains, hearts, and bodies. As we create something special and innovative in the arts, it is essential to recognise our individual differences and approach this project with generosity and curiosity. Together, we aim to inspire the ripples of transformation in our artistic and writing practices.
Magical Women will not look like a regular art workshop because it is being facilitated and run by an autistic and ADHD (comorbid) woman artist.
We are a platform for Neurodivergent women artists, a place to attend to our practice, experience training, support and a place to use your Neurodivergent brain, heart and body.
Because we have created and are creating something special and unique in the arts, it is important to remember that we are all very different and that we come to this project with generosity and curiosity to stir the ripples that are already transforming our arts or writing practice.
Magical Women has rules
To protect what we have built here and are continuing to build, there are rules.
Because workshops are run by an autistic/ADHD artist with processing delays, there will be no aggression or violent language used in workshops.
We understand the frustration of not being able to understand instructions, but we ask that instead of shouting, calling out or calling names, or correcting the facilitators in the workshop, that you instead relax into a moment of “gentle stirring” and instead attend to your art practice and keep creating.
There are no wrong or right answers in any of our workshops, they are not there to correct or teach, instead they are there to support, energise and ignite your creative spark.
Cameras can be turned on or off, you can communicate in the chatbox or out loud on camera/audio.
There are many accessible ways for you to communicate and participate. Some artists only show their artwork.
All writing in the chatbox gets read out with permission.
We used to pay artists for contributions of articles, text and showcases when we were funded by Arts Council in our first year but we are now unfunded.
As we are limited on our resources for now, we work around the limitations of the founder and facilitator.
Please note:
1:1 access support and therapy is separate from the Magical Women arts platform.
Please click here.