Introducing TUNE In
Introducing ‘TUNE In' (Team Understanding Neurodivergent Experiences), a new programme at Turner Sims with listening and action at its heart.
How can live music events feel welcoming and inclusive for neurodivergent children and young people?
This is the question we have been asking ourselves at Turner Sims. We have a big ambition to create an inclusive world through the joy of live music. We also know there are barriers to attend events for neurodivergent children, young people and their families. A conventional concert experience might not feel like the right fit for them. We wanted to tackle this problem by involving children and young people with lived experience to understand the challenges they face and to collaborate on finding creative solutions.
“I know how hard it can be for families with neurodivergent children to come to public events, only to find that their needs aren’t met and they go home exhausted and disappointed. If a family doesn’t feel welcome, regardless of how good the music is, that is what shapes their experience. I want to ensure Turner Sims is a place where people feel confident to bring their families, that they will be welcomed and accepted, and that they will have a great time enjoying live music.” Jessica Santer, Head of Programming (Engagement and Participation), Turner Sims
‘TUNE In’, which stands for Team Understanding Neurodivergent Experiences, is a new programme at Turner Sims, with listening and action at its heart.
We started a pilot phase of the programme with Broadleaf Family Hub in the New Forest from May – July 2026. Nine children and young people, along with their parents and carers, joined the group. We began with an invitation to see ‘A Message for the Future’ by Crescendorious at Turner Sims – a multi-sensory performance by a neurodivergent-led gig theatre company.
Through creative and participatory activities and workshops, the group shared their experiences of attending live music events, barriers they encounter, and ideas for creating environments where they can feel welcome, comfortable, and able to participate fully.
When I brought a group of families to see ‘A Message for the Future’ at Turner Sims I could see that they were an organisation who were doing things differently. I loved seeing our children and young people feeling relaxed and enjoying the performance. I was therefore really excited to take up the opportunity to work with Turner Sims on TUNE In.” Clare Canning, Director of Broadleaf Family Hub
One of the questions we asked the children and young people is what would make you feel ‘This is for me!’ when you arrive at an event. We invited the participants to create their ideal venue out of Lego, to create collage mood boards of what they would like and not like at a live music event, and we did a lot of listening to music too. We designed activities with different ways on contributing, that didn’t rely on verbal communication. We learnt a lot, including that our music tastes are broad and varied!
I felt very included and welcomed in the activities even if I didn’t speak.” Project participant
The process generated more than 200 recommendations, creating a vision of what meaningful inclusion, in cultural venues, looks like in practice. These recommendations, covering every stage of the audience journey from booking a ticket, arriving at the venue and watching the performance, were transformed into a visual summary. From a short list of artists, the group choose neurodivergent artist Megan Metcalf to illustrate and design this, ensuring that children’s and young people’s voices remained central and that we stepped away from the more conventional approach of a written report and produced something that was accessible and relevant to the young people.
The six-session pilot was an opportunity for Turner Sims to listen and learn. For many of the children and young people it was one of their first times they had been seen as an expert and feeling listened to and respected was really powerful.
The important thing now is to put this into action. We have already been able to make changes at Turner Sims that are directly informed by the TUNE In pilot. For example, we have updated the signage on our accessible toilet to say ‘Not all Disabilities are Visible’ following feedback from the group and were pleased to be able to share this back with them.
It is so nice to have time to think about things that would make life easier for me. Nobody really asks. And being heard and then listened to is amazing.” Project participant
At our Winter Family Day on 22 November, we will implement more of the TUNE In recommendations and will collect feedback to understand the impact. We will provide more information to our audiences to help them prepare before the event. We will have sensory activities in the foyer as well as sensory packs you can take into the auditorium and a chill-out space for people who need a break. We will message that you are welcome to be yourself at Turner Sims – to make noise, move around and respond to the performance however and whenever you want to.
And how will we know if we are being successful? The TUNE In team from Broadleaf Family Hub are invited back to check we are putting their ideas into practice and to see if it improves their experience.
“TUNE In is part of a much bigger conversation at Turner Sims about accessibility. Our programme of building works gives us an opportunity to address physical barriers within our venue. But an accessible building alone doesn’t create an inclusive organisation. As much as the architects have designed new step free routes around out building, the participants of TUNE In are making just as important decisions to bring us closer to our ambition of building an inclusive world through the joy of live music” Louise Coysh, Director of Turner Sims
The TUNE In pilot was delivered by Turner Sims in partnership with Broadleaf Family Hub with Professor Sarah Parsons as an advisor. Supported by University of Southampton via Higher Education Innovation Funding (HEIF) from Research England.
We Mind the Gap: UK Disability History Conference
Monday 23 November, 9am – 3pm
University of Southampton, Garden Court, Highfield Campus, SO17 1BJ
Jessica Santer and Clare Canning will give a presentation at the conference on ‘TUNE In’.
