Spasticus Artisticus

The Spasticus Artisticus project aims to establish a meeting point to share knowledge and experiences among people with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, or those with long-term illnesses. It proposes to investigate and learn collectively around concepts such as crip or tullido (cripple), exploring their political and cultural potential. It also invites reflection on spaces of enjoyment and entertainment as tools for struggle and social transformation.

The objective is to challenge traditional paradigms, which often place these groups within frameworks of charity or pity, and replace them with perspectives that recognize their agency, creativity, and power to act.

In practice, the group's activity will be organized around periodic internal work meetings, with the intention of also developing open activities such as participatory workshops, talks, or debates, culminating in a final festive event to close the project.

This is how the group introduces itself:

"Spasticus Artisticus was born as a collective and self-managed group at Matadero Madrid during the 2025/26 term, stemming from the desire and need for us—the sick, the mad, the disabled/functionally diverse, diverse bodies, those living with pain, the tullidas, the taradas, and all other diagnosed individuals—to meet, think about ourselves, and collectivize through artistic proposals.

We met and bonded through the project Sintomatologías: aprendizajes espásticos nearly two years ago—an initiative led by Elena Prous within the framework of the residency focused on art and education at the CRA (Centro de residencias artísticas) at Matadero—and now we are starting this new stage, where we want to organize ourselves as a collective.

If you are interested in thinking about, enjoying, and archiving all things crip, join our assembly at Matadero, Madrid, to continue dreaming up laboratories, workshops, and encounters. If you cannot attend the assembly but would like to participate in any of the open activities we are preparing, keep an eye on our Instagram page @spasticus.artisticus.

Besides Instagram, you can contact us at spasticus.artisticus@gmail.com to tell us about your accessibility and accompaniment needs, or any questions or suggestions."

The Spasticus Artisticus project is part of Metodologías experimentales, Intermediae's line of work for methodological innovation. The 2025-2026 edition is developed in collaboration with the Department of Education and Audiences, in their shared goal of diversifying audience profiles and promoting cultural rights.

Photo by Gustavo A. Díaz G.