Advocacy
Sonia’s advocacy practice has been established through her work as an artist and almost 30 years dedicated to neuro-inclusion. It has developed naturally through neuro-inclusive practice research and by adopting a responsive and relational approach to her clients, partners and collaborators.
Her advocacy style is creative and playful, where genuine connections and understanding are shared. Projects and collaborations often arrive through conversations and word of mouth. Sonia is available for projects that naturally align with her practice and values.
“Boue learns from practice, sees where what she has worked out can be supportive to others and writes and publishes to share what she has found. Her practice is exceptional in its generative cultural influence and has the potential to bridge art-world silos." — Prof. Becky Beasley, Goldsmiths College, London.
Expertise
Sonia brings a background in art history, art psychotherapy and applied social sciences to her advocacy.
She has created and led a series of Arts Council England-funded projects that place neurodivergent artists at the centre. Through this work, she has developed expertise in neuro-inclusive facilitation and accessible project design, co-creating best practice in real conditions at a time when no established models existed. This led her to develop new participatory models and create original resources, culminating in Neurophototherapy, an arts practice methodology published in 2023.
She has also added to the knowledge base on neuro-inclusion in the art sector through two publications for BOM, Am I Autistic? (2022) and Autistics at Work (2023).
Sonia has a particular expertise in supporting late autism diagnoses and late self-discovery, meaning after the age of 18. In 2023, she co-authored the term Autistic Identity Transition (AIT).
Focus
Sonia’s advocacy focus is at the intersection of artistic practice and organisational learning, when creativity and advocacy coalesce to make meaningful change, such as:
Shaping content, programming and exhibitions.
Mentoring programme producers and working creatively alongside the people inside your organisation to deliver neurodivergent programmes and build their confidence, knowledge and capacity.
Co-designing projects and programmes that centre neurodivergent people with genuine care.
Creating resources and artistic responses that help organisations communicate meaningfully with neurodivergent and wider audiences.
Sharing practice and project learning.
A growing field
As the cultural landscape shifts towards wider recognition of neurodivergence, the need for authentically informed approaches, ethically grounded content, and genuinely inclusive programming is growing. The field is fast-moving and sometimes contested. Sonia offers a calm, experienced and non-judgmental perspective.
Organisations Sonia has worked with
Artists Now · Art et al · Arts Council England · Autograph · BEAF Arts · BOM · BAN (British Art Network) · Craft Council · CVAN SE · DASH · disABILITY Network (Tate) · DisOrdinary Architecture · Plus Tate Network · MIMA · National Portrait Gallery · NSEAD · Shift · Wellcome Collection · V&A