Richard is, amongst other things, a TV Producer and writer. His novel ‘Pavement’, published by Cutting Edge Press, is a dark, gruesome, funny and dystopian story of a disabled serial killer. His blog attempts to illuminate the delightful, dark and dangerous thing that is the tunnel of life... Where's the torch?
Posts by Richard Butchins
213 Things About Me, Episode 6: Memories
July 2, 2020Rose's mother recounts her memories of Rose. 213 Things About Me tells the true story of ‘Rose’, who was diagnosed with autism aged 36 and took her own life six months later. 213 Things About Me is told through a list of Rose's traits, which she made immediately after being diagnosed ...
213 Things About Me, Episode 5: Impossible things
June 25, 2020Rose reflects on her childhood, relationship with her family and feelings about her own death. 213 Things About Me tells the true story of ‘Rose’, who was diagnosed with autism aged 36 and took her own life six months later. 213 Things About Me is told through a list of Rose's ...
213 Things About Me Episode 4: Some days are worse than others…
June 18, 2020This episode examines the incorrect idea that autists can't empathise and Rose's fears around April Fools day. 213 Things About Me tells the true story of ‘Rose’, who was diagnosed with autism aged 36 and took her own life six months later. 213 Things About Me is told through a list ...
213 Things About Me Episode 3: What date is today?
June 11, 2020Episode 3: What date is today? This episode looks at Rose's dating experiences and her feelings about getting a diagnosis for Aspergers. 213 Things About Me tells the true story of ‘Rose’, who was diagnosed with autism aged 36 and took her own life six months later. 213 Things About Me ...
213 Things About Me, Episode 2: Boat Dreams
June 4, 2020Episode 2: Boat Dreams. Richard explores Rose's unusual housing situation and her aspirations. Throughout her adult life, Rose had never lived in legal residential housing. She lived in a cupboard, a shipping container, and a boat called 'August Breeze' amongst other things. 213 Things About Me tells the true story ...
213 Things About Me, Episode 1: You What?
May 28, 2020Episode 1: You what? Welcome to the world of 'Rose', where social distancing is a daily reality. After her diagnosis for Asperger's Syndrome, Richard suggested she write a list of her positive qualities, which she called 213 Things About Me. 213 Things About Me tells the true story of ‘Rose’, who ...
Hard words can be helpful – an argument in favour of informed critique
May 30, 2019Richard Butchins expounds on the merits of arts criticism, stating the case for more rigourous critique and asking questions of disability arts in how we engage with discussion about merit based on a disability perspective. Art: Noun: The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual ...
Unlimited commissions: the view from the panel
May 8, 2017Independent disabled artist Richard Butchins is in the unique position of this year having both sat on an Unlimited selection panel and been the successful recipient of an Unlimited award. Here he shares his insider insight on the selection process, offering advice to prospective applicants. The other week Unlimited published some ...
Turning Japanese
June 29, 2016At the end of last month I returned from a two-week trip to Osaka in Japan. The Arts Council gave me an Artists international Development Fund grant and I travelled to develop an artistic collaboration with Kazuyo Morita a disabled dancer. Japan is a strange place to western eyes, firstly the ...
The sight of one hand clapping…
March 14, 2016There has been a long transit between this blog and my last. The reasons are many and varied. I’m in the last throes of completing a Dispatches programme for Channel Four, it is a demanding taskmaster, the last area of television in which you must be factually accurate a difficult ...
Disabled is the new able / 30 September 2015
September 30, 2015I was at the Edinburgh festival this year. I sat on a panel entitled ‘Disability a creative advantage’ which was a fun bit of rhetorical cant. But, the thing that struck me most was the presence of disability; it was everywhere, it’s like a new ‘art’ fashion. Will there be lines ...
Comic book Crips / 18 June 2015
June 18, 2015I watched a "kerpow" of Superhero movies the other night, mainly because I just didn’t fancy another evening of Francis Bacon and Foucault. That’s the way I roll, sublime to ridiculous in less than 24 hours. I noticed a few things about the superhero movies. It’s something that has long ...
Crips mean cash: disability as a commodity
April 23, 2015The media has caught on to the idea that ‘worthiness’ sells. As a result disabled people have been more prominent on tv and within the arts, yet as a group we have been getting a rawer deal since the 2012 Paralympics says, tv producer/ director Richard Butchins. Like everything else in ...
