Umbrella Art Installation to Celebrate Neurodiversity

A vibrant installation with dozens of suspended umbrellas will adorn Queen’s Road, Watford, from July 27 to September 27, celebrating the unique perspectives of people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, dyslexia, and dyspraxia.

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The Neurodiversity Umbrella Project aims to showcase the diverse ways individuals with these neurodivergent conditions experience the world.

Debbie Wood from ADD-vance, a Hertfordshire charity supporting families of children with ADHD and autism, said the display was to “showcase how we can help improve inclusivity”.

Watford Town Centre BID, who helped organise the installation, said the umbrellas represented “all the different minds we have here in our community”.

Ms Wood, the charity’s chief executive officer, said: “The colourful installation supports the aim of our community to change perceptions and champion our unique ways of seeing the world.”

It was “an important opportunity to showcase how we can help improve inclusivity and recognition within our local communities and beyond”.

The display represents “the one in five of us who have a neurodevelopmental condition, such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia or Tourette’s syndrome”, organisers said.

Neurodiversity is a term used to describe the naturally occurring variations of the human brain; different human cognitive capabilities that are expressed through unique talents, intelligence and the ability to think differently, Watford BID added.

The project, introduced by the ADHD Foundation, has previously been seen in number of places including Liverpool, Cardiff and Aberdeen.

Kara Mesiano, the manager of Watford Town Centre BID, said: “Our aim is to change the perception of neurodiverse [and] neurodivergent people and celebrate all the many strengths that come from thinking differently in our town.”

The organisation will also be offering support and training to employers who are thinking about hiring individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions, to see it as a “great opportunity” and not a “challenge”, she added.

At 10 am on Saturday, a performance was held on Queen’s Road, featuring stilt walkers and dancers, to an official opening of the installation by Cllr Aga Dychton.