Our Story

“The place in which I'll fit will not exist until I make it.”

~ James Baldwin

Tentacles spawned in 2015–2016, when writer and creative facilitator Neal Pike began to feel frustrated by the lack of inclusive writing spaces for disabled people in the UK. After discussing the idea with friends, the name Tentacles—gifted by writer and artist Lytisha Tunbridge—was chosen to reflect the project's intention: to reach out, support, and connect.

With the support of Nottingham City of Literature, Neal secured funding to pilot writing workshops at Nottingham Playhouse. Though attendance was small at first, the impact was significant. Participants described the sessions as safe, welcoming, and creatively fulfilling.

Life got busy, and then the pandemic hit—but the spirit of Tentacles remained. In 2022–2023, Neal teamed up with writer Charlotte Lunn to deliver a series of six Zoom sessions. These were met with enthusiasm and a strong sense of community.

After a pause due to health and other commitments, Tentacles returned in 2024, this time with Neal and August, a long-time participant and passionate advocate for disabled creative expression. Our logo got a fresh look, courtesy of the talented LP Mills of sealight studios. The octopus swam again and these new sessions reignited ideas and ambitions for what Tentacles could become.

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Who We Are Now

After months of planning and reflection, August and Neal—with the assistance of ACE’s Access Support scheme—successfully secured Arts Council England funding. Chan Fagan joined the team as our community producer to help make the next iteration of the project a reality.

Our aim is to take Tentacles to the next level: connecting writers both online and in person to build a creative community where we can learn together, hone skills, provide feedback, and flourish. We’re looking to build lasting connection and channels of support that go far beyond attending a workshop and maybe getting a draft of something out of it. For years, many of us have been on the outside looking in, so now we’re building our own camp! One by and for us.

Over the next 18 months, Tentacles will run 16 workshops in four-week blocks, with a specific focus on poetry writing. These will alternate between online and in person to ensure both accessibility and small-group support. Between these courses, we’re working with some fantastic disabled writers to run one-off workshops in different genres, giving community members a chance to learn from published professionals at the height of their craft, without the usual barriers to access. We also have a private community space to share work and get feedback, as well as chat to like-minded folk.

Accessibility is at the heart of everything we do, and part of that is understanding our community is not a monolith with a single set of needs. We are building a space that works for us, together, with constant feedback and adaptation for each person in the room. Our in person spaces are always covid cautious, wheelchair accessible with accessible bathrooms. Care/personal assistants can always attend for free. BSL interpretation will be provided for all who need it both in person and online.

Our approach to access and disability is expansive and non-judgemental. Anyone who considers themselves to be chronically ill, neurodiverse and/or disabled is welcome to join our collective! We know from our lived experiences that our vast and varied community has a huge amount of talent, but often nowhere we can practice and share our skills.

The 2025-26 project will culminate in an anthology published by Big White Shed and a final showcase at Nottingham Playhouse.