KoCreate: Southsea's creative safe haven for neurodivergent artists

Flow Observatorium, founded in 2017, has long championed creatives whose voices are too often overlooked. For founder Jon Adams, KoCreate grew out of necessity. Back in 2020, there simply wasn't a safe or appropriate space for neurodivergent artists. So he built one.

"It's about empathy," he says. "Caring for my culture, enabling our voices to be heard and breaking stereotypes. If nothing exists, you DIY."

KoCreate isn't about lessons, outcomes or judgement. Creativity and wellbeing sit side by side, naturally and without pressure. People attend to avoid isolation, to work alongside others who understand them, and to create freely without masking or expectation. There's no "join in or else" culture — just a genuinely safe, welcoming room where everyone belongs.

What sets KoCreate apart is its inclusivity. Every art form is valued, every identity respected, and its intersectional approach is especially welcoming to LGBTQ+ and autigender participants who often feel out of place elsewhere. Sessions are facilitated rather than led, allowing collaboration, comradeship and confidence to grow in their own time.

KoCreate runs every Wednesday at Room One, Spithead Resource Centre, Southsea (PO5 1EB) from 12pm to 2.30pm, with an online session from 6.30pm to 7.45pm. It's free, open to anyone aged 18+ who identifies as neurodivergent, and there's no need to book.

To find out more, visit flowobservatorium.org or email [email protected].