What's on
An online creative writing festival from our Beyond The Spectrum programme for Autistic writers, featuring workshops, talks and panels. Open to all.
This year’s Beyond the Spectrum festival is a week-long series of online workshops and talks for writers who want to slow down, reflect, and create in their authentic voice.
We’re celebrating writing as rest, a source of creativity and connection, for telling the stories we want to tell without pressure to be productive, and exploring genres and routes to publishing that bring us joy. By and for our Neurodivergent Beyond the Spectrum community, the festival sessions are open to everyone.
In 2026, our Keynote Speaker is Chris Packham, naturalist, nature photographer, television presenter and author. Fellow speakers include: Kate Oliver, Charlotte Faulconbridge, Sabrina Mei-Li Smith, Claire Thomas-Hawnt, Caroline Stancer, Victoria Villasenor, Susie Wilson, CJ DeBarra and more to be confirmed!
They’ll be leading talks on subjects such as Autistic Women Writers, Self-publishing, Speculative Fiction, Calming Sensory Overload, Radical Rest and more.
Click here for the full programme.
Monday 23rd March – Saturday 28th March 2026
£30 full-week tickets/£15 concessions
£5 individual sessions/£3 concessions
Note: If you are a participant of our Beyond the Spectrum workshops, please book via the ticket link sent directly to your email.
Submit your event to our directory by becoming a member of Arts Derbyshire.
Find out what’s on with the Arts Derbyshire newsletter.
Artists, creatives, cultural providers, arts and health specialists – Sign up for one of our professional mailing lists.