Two creative workshops for autistic kids and their families, held in the Whitgift Centre in Croydon, exploring how to create a softer future for autistic people.
Wiggle Wonderland is a timber-framed, touring art pavilion that can be adapted to display the works of artists and communities in different locations.
From hosting live performances to workshops, each pavilion installation is shaped by the people and place in which it arrives.
The Wiggle came to Croydon in February 2025, residing in the Whitgift Centre for two weeks. Local children and young people designed banners exploring what they needed more of, what they wanted less of, what they cared about, and what had been overlooked.
Our workshops explored softening the Wiggle pavilion with colourful fabrics and trimmings to construct a sensory-friendly space for our eyes, ears, and bodies. We documented the process with pictures and drawings to create a ‘manifesto for a softer future’ that felt kind and more welcoming for neurodivergent Croydon residents.
Children were invited to create soft, colourful spans between the pavilion posts using brightly coloured cohesive (self-adhesive) bandages. They then used these as a framework to hang and drape fabrics to create walls and roofs for little personal and shared den spaces, covering the floor with soft blankets.
We encouraged the children to describe their mini-worlds using sensory-rich language. We also had two digital cameras with integrated thermal printers to allow participants to document their creations and discoveries in a simple and immediate non-verbal way. The children could then add their printed images to a shared manifesto for a Softer Croydon.
