Box 5.

Empathy – how to build effective working partnerships (www.artscatalyst.org/jon-adams-konfirm).

Konfirmation Systemisation: Rethinking Autistic Thinking was an artist residency within the ARC Cambridge in collaboration with The Arts Catalyst, London and artist Jon Adams. Supported by Wellcome Trust funding, this residency led to poetry, image and a series of musical compositions made from fMRI machine noise.
Strengths of this approach	Limitations of this approach
● Independent funding expands the range of opportunities for people involved ● The research group were influenced by the autistic artist’s presence, leading to a reconsideration of their views of autism	● To be successful, this requires investment of time on both sides and a willingness to challenge existing ‘knowledge’ or assumptions ● Independent funding may be hard to secure