Approximately 20% of the general population with a disability are unemployed / out of work.
By contrast, 85% of college graduates with an autism diagnosis are unemployed. The largest proportion of this group of people expressed a desire to work in the cultural sector (recent research)
With approx 2 people in every 100 falling into this category of disability, the scale of the issue is not small.

What are we doing?
Do we really have an understanding of the barriers to access and job retention? Dimmed lights and sound aren't going to cut it.
Do we care enough as a sector to give energy to addressing it? To turning the creative energy artistically expressed in telling the story to audiences (as is happening in exciting pockets such as the work of Access All Areas) towards 'putting our own house in order' and making sure that we become part of the solution?
The Tech sector has embraced a capitalist appreciation of the often unique skill sets of neurodiverse individuals, and has tailored their recruitment and retention practices in recognition of the value that such individuals can bring. How can the wider Cultural sector adopt a similarly attractive approach, which goes beyond talking about access in terms of a moral imperative, or a legal requirement, and starts to recognise the huge potentials that are being missed by systematically and systemically leaving autistic people out of the wider - workforce equation?

Lets do more.