Name: Not Just BS (Breakfast Symposium) Derry
Start: 2025-10-02T10:30:00+01:00
End: 2025-10-02T12:30:00+01:00
Location: Playhouse Derry

This key event in the Bounce 2025 programme recognises the need to offer a setting for artists and activists to meet and engage. The events, which are hosted on two different days across Derry-Londonderry and Belfast, include speakers and panel discussions, alongside short music, film, visual art, and literary interludes.
Not Just BS is a disabled-led networking, discussion and performance forum for artists and activists developed around this year’s festival theme ‘Not Just...’ on the importance of disability representation, diversity, and intersectionality in the arts sector.
Panel discussion on the theme ‘Not Just…’: exploring diversity and intersectionality within the arts and disability sector.
The panel will be chaired by Mel Bradley. Mel is a multidisciplinary neurodivergent artist, activist, writer, and performer with a strong history of working with diverse cultural backgrounds and challenging perceptions of the queer disabled female voice.
Alan Burns is a neurodivergent, environmental and audiovisual artist from Disrupt Arts Festival in Ireland.
Soso Ní Cheallaigh is a multidisciplinary maker from Derry. Their work spans poetry, essay, theatre, visual art, and film through both the English and Irish language.
Dave Duggan lives in Derry, where he writes in English and in Irish. He works in theatre, film and writes novels and essays.
Justine Scoltock was born and raised in Derry, where she works across visual art, film, and interactive media, Justine is also a committed community facilitator who supports underrepresented voices to tell their stories.
Catherine Hemelryk is a curator and is Director of Centre for Contemporary Art Derry~Londonderry. She describes herself as a dyslexic, queer, cis woman who is passionate about widening inclusion in sports, culture, and activism.
Edel Murphy, is CEO and Artistic Director of University of Atypical, and a disabled, queer, Donegalian, Gaeilgeoir who has worked across the arts sector in Northern Ireland.
The event includes music from Colm Herron, a disabled musician from Derry who released his debut album 'Bottles in the Rain' in 2023.
Alan Burns will also give a talk 'Divergently Together'. Alan is a neurodivergent, environmental and audiovisual artist, curator and festival maker producing interactive, socially engaged and site-specific projects. Their highly collaborative practice focuses on disability, climate emergency and a just society.
Spoken word artist Abby Oliveira will present a 10 minute excerpt of the play she is currently writing with funding she received from the Deaf Disabled Artist Support Fund through University of Atypical.
As part of the Bounce Festival the venue also hosts Re-collections by Justine Scoltock.