advocate

As a neurodivergent & queer artist, Amy Zuidema is dedicated to creating safe and inclusive spaces in the arts. Drawing from personal experience, Amy is passionate about fostering environments where vulnerability is welcomed and innovation thrives.

Amy’s European Master of Music research examined the crucial role of emotional safety in creative spaces, focusing on how risk in these spaces impacts individuals. Through this work, Amy developed a proactive framework for creative leaders to manage risk, empowering artists in those spaces to take creative risks and foster deeper artistic expression. This research underscores that emotionally safe environments are essential for driving innovation and growth.

Amy has presented this research at Oberlin Conservatory (USA), Darmstädter Ferienkurse (Germany), Prins Claus Conservatorium (Netherlands), and the International Clarinet Association Festival (Ireland).

In addition, Amy has been a guest speaker for the Still I Rise collective on intersectional feminism and actively explores themes of mental health and neurodiversity in her compositions, raising awareness of trauma's effects on the body and celebrating the creative potential of neurodivergent minds.

first edition of framework available here.