The SDIT project aimed to develop and consolidate an innovative and replicable model for the inclusion of autistic people through theatre, with the potential to become a European reference. It focused on equipping actors, technicians, and other theatre professionals with the skills needed to work with autistic youth and adults, while providing high-quality, practice-oriented adult education. Through an innovative training programme, participants were prepared to support the active participation of autistic people in real theatrical contexts. The project also sought to enhance the self-determination, self-esteem, and cultural and social participation of autistic people by fully integrating them into inclusive casts and artistic teams. More broadly, SDIT contributed to the promotion of diversity, creativity, and cultural citizenship, strengthening European cooperation and advancing a vision of a “society for all,” in line with Erasmus+ priorities.
We applied for the SDIT project to address the urgent need to advance the social, cultural, and civic inclusion of autistic people, in alignment with Erasmus+ priorities and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Although the right to cultural participation is formally recognized, there remains a lack of structured practices that prepare both autistic people and community contexts for effective and sustainable inclusion. The project seeks to address the lack of innovative and systematized methodologies that enable theatre professionals to work with autistic youth and adults, promoting self-determination, active participation, and the development of personal and social skills. The need to strengthen adult education, create practical learning opportunities in real-life settings, and support the cultural sector—heavily affected by the pandemic—was also identified. SDIT therefore emerges as a response to the scarcity of European best practices in this area, focusing on international cooperation, pedagogical innovation, and the creation of a replicable model of inclusion through theatre, contributing to a fairer and truly inclusive society.