TO THE CITY: A NEURODIVERGENT ADVENTURE

Alchemy Film & Arts

Using film as a way to come together, have conversations and strengthen community.

TO THE CITY: A NEURODIVERGENT ADVENTURE

To the City: A Neurodivergent Adventure is an arcade-style videogame co-designed by Alchemy Film & Arts and Borders Additional Needs Group (BANG), exploring participants’ lived experience of neurodiversity.

In collaboration with Alchemy’s long-term partners Branching Out, BANG’s transitional programme for 16-25-year-olds living with an additional need, the project is part of Film Town, Alchemy’s award-winning year-round programme of community filmmaking, skills development and creative learning.

During regular workshops, participants wrote the game’s story based on their own experiences, such as catching a bus and going to the shops, imagining the different ways in which resulting scenarios could play out. Participants collaborated on all aspects of the in-game universe, including character and backdrop design, animated character loops, audio and dialogue. In addition, they decorated the machine itself.

The project was developed as part of Hawick in Common, our two-year cross-programme project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional support from Scottish Borders LAG Community Led Local Development Fund, Creative Scotland’s Participatory Arts and Mental Health Fund, and Youth Music Initiative.

To the City is a portable gaming unit available for free from Alchemy Film & Arts. Please get in touch or visit our offices to arrange to play it.

ABOUT THE GAME

Designed as an RPG (role-playing game), To the City takes players through a series of decisions over five levels, from their in-game character’s home to a cultural venue in the city where they are going to see a show with family. Initial decisions include whether to take their umbrella or a comforter with them and whether to watch television prior to leaving home to catch the bus.

Each of these decisions has consequences. As their implications and ripple effects play out, in-game anxiety levels – indicated by lights on the machine itself – begin to increase. So too, perhaps, will those of the person playing the game!

In this sense, To the City demonstrates what an ostensibly simple event such as catching public transport can mean for a person living with neurodiversity. Because of this, the game also functions as an expression of life in the Scottish Borders, placing our region at the centre of conversations around human rights, the social model of disability and public infrastructure.

THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

Pauline Charles, CEO of Borders Additional Needs Group, told press: “We are incredibly proud to see the completion of To the City, a collaborative effort between Borders Additional Needs Group and Alchemy Film & Arts.”

“This project has empowered our young people to explore and express their understanding of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, particularly their right to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives.

“Every element of this interactive arcade game has been designed and built by the young people themselves. It serves as a powerful and engaging tool to promote awareness and understanding of children’s rights, especially for neurodivergent and ASN (additional support needs] youth.

“It has been an absolute privilege to witness their creativity and commitment, and we are thrilled to share this achievement with the community.”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT CASE STUDY

Tyne Lovell of Borders Additional Needs Group presented a case study on To the City to Improvement Service, the go-to organisation for Local Government improvement in Scotland.

ON TOUR

If you are interested in hosting To the City at your event, please get in touch with us.

We offer a range of options, from a plug-and-play presentation format to interactive engagement workshops.

PAST PRESENTATIONS
Saturday 11 October 2025 – Comic Con Scotland, Edinburgh
Saturday 1 November 2025 – Discovery Film Festival, Dundee
September 2025 – Narture Rise Festival, Ayr
May 2025 – Alchemy Film and Moving Image Festival, Hawick

BORDERS ADDITIONAL NEEDS GROUP

To the City is an outcome of our long-term partnership with Borders Additional Needs Group, which began during lockdown.

Our work with BANG has included short experimental films in both digital and analogue formats, an autism awareness campaign, and a sensory hub installation.