An Arts Project was set up and started for Autistic young people within the Sandwell District in June 2010 and this involved 8 young people with Autism and the Friction Arts Company.

Funding was received from Sandwell Youth SEND Service supported by Aiming High to help provide respite for the parents and carers for one evening per week (Tuesday), for a period of three hours every week and this involved working on activities such as: Drama and Characterisation, Comic Designing, Mask Making, Character Building, Film-Making Off-site visits e.g. (Museums), Involving and Working alongside family members and an appearance on a Tea-time Show on the BBC WM.

In June 2011, an exhibition event was put on at the Public Centre in West Bromwich called: ‘To You From Super Me’ which was a short animated film about the young people involved on the Autistic Arts Project which revealed their personalities, imaginations and their unconventional approach to being in this world through their eyes. The young people involved on this project were also privileged to work alongside a famous Comic Illustrator – John McCrea and Image Maker Chris Keenan. After such a great success, additional funding has been received to extend the project until September 2011.

Thank you to the staff involved on the Autistic Arts Project: Rebecca Amos – LDD Youth Service Development Officer, Sandra Hall – Friction Arts Facilitator, Simon Walker – Assistant Facilitator, Stuart Payne – Senior Youth Worker, Baljit Cheema – P/T Youth Worker, Dawn Lewis – P/T Youth Worker, Laura Mallen – P/T Youth Worker, Lauren Armstrong – P/T Youth Worker, Niki Fellows – P/T Youth Worker, Helen Marson – P/T Youth Worker, Maxine Harris – Senior Youth Worker.