Making festivals and cultural events inclusive by and for neurodivergent persons

Antilén’s model helps neurodivergent people attend festivals and cultural events. It offers easy-read guides, preparatory resources, on-site support circles led by neurodivergent professionals, and sensory tools. Since 2023 it reached 6,000+ people, 20+ events and trained 18 teams.

Corporación Antilén is a Chilean NGO led by neurodivergent people and other persons with disabilities, promoting social participation and focusing on training and awareness-raising. The organization’s Model of Cognitive Accessibility, Sensory Support, and Relational Approach supports inclusion in festivals and other public events through tailored anticipatory guidance and on-site sensory support. Since 2023, more than 6,000 persons have participated in over 20 events, with 18 production teams trained.

Problems Targeted

Persons with all types of disabilities are often excluded from cultural and social events due to sensory barriers, lack of support, and inaccessible environments.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

Corporación Antilén’s model enables neurodivergent persons – including those with autism, ADHD, or psychosocial disabilities – to participate fully in public, cultural, and artistic events. Developed in the Los Ríos Region of southern Chile, it shows how local leadership can scale to broader contexts. The approach is based on anticipation and accompaniment: clear guides, easy-read materials, video walkthroughs, and preparatory resources before each event. On location, ‘support circles’ led by neurodiverse professionals provide sensory relief, guidance, and help manage overload. Technical supports include noise-reducing devices, regulation tools, and rest areas. The innovation is that all design, delivery, and improvement is driven by neurodivergent persons and persons with disabilities, ensuring authentic solutions and dignified employment. Since 2023 the model has reached more than 6,000 direct participants, supporting their participation at 20+ festivals and cultural events, including the Festival REC, the Valdivia International Film Festival, and city-wide celebrations. To date, 18 production teams have been trained. The model’s flexible, modular strategy suits arts, education, and social inclusion contexts, and emphasizes lived experience as a professional skill, accelerating replication.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The initiative operates on grant funding and pilot project revenue, with the primary expenditure being dignified salaries for neurodiverse professionals. Pilots are funded by grants. Antilén seeks to make the model marketable as a paid service while targeting wider replication through training, partnership, and standardization strategies. (#ZeroCall26)

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