Thanks to the generosity of our donors and fundraisers, the Piper Arts Centre is now open and already making a remarkable difference to the lives of autistic young people with complex needs at Prior’s Court.

In the 2025/26 academic year, every young person at Prior’s Court has dedicated time in their timetable each week to access this incredible new space. Sessions are based on drama but also weave in other creative elements such as dance and music, giving young people more opportunities to explore, express themselves, and develop new skills.

Our Performing Arts Co-Leads, Tanya and Elise, have already started working on a very special festive performance - to be hosted in the Piper Arts Centre itself - a new tradition to replace the filmed festive story which the Education and Marketing teams have created in past years. This creative contribution by young people may not necessarily be performing during the show on the day - it could also involve set design, front-of-house, voiceover, and filmed performance, as well as live performance. Tasks such as set design and front-of-house are an important part of our learning programme in the centre. 

Just like a school Nativity, this will be a festive and inclusive celebration of creativity and achievement – made possible by the support of project donors.

The Piper Arts Centre exists because of the belief and kindness of our community. Every performance staged and session run is a testament to what we can achieve together for autistic young people with complex needs.

Thank you for helping us reach this milestone – and for making new moments of self-expression and celebration possible.

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