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Maria standing in front of CKK Jordanki cultural centre with unusual architecture smiling in sun.

Heliocentric Revolutions and Universal Design

Posted on: 23 Jun 2026

Heliocentric Revolutions and Universal Design By Dr Maria Oshodi, Extant Artistic Director & CEO. The regional cultural centre in Torun, Poland invited me to contribute to their international conference, Universal Design in Performing Arts in early June 2026.  This marked the culmination of their Universal Art Design (UAD) project that had worked with 36 artists […]

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Extant team on Par Beach, from left to right Maria, Louisa, Tam and Ian. They face towards the camera, Maria holds her white cane. They stand in the water, with the waves behind them. In the backdrop, a blue sky with white fluffy clouds.

Testing The Future

Posted on: 16 Jun 2026

Testing The Future: How organisational R&D and Collective Dreaming informed the new shape of Extant By Ian Abbott, Extant Operations Director. Since 2023, Extant has been working towards a known transition. Our founder, CEO and Artistic Director Dr Maria Oshodi will be stepping down at the end of March 2027. In these intervening years, we’ve […]

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A person with short curly brown hair, glasses, and a nose ring is smiling warmly at the camera. They are wearing a dark sweater and standing on a balcony overlooking a London street lined with terraced houses. The background is softly lit by the setting sun, casting a golden glow over the scene.

Thinker In Residence: Design and Disability / Beyond the Visual

Posted on: 17 May 2026

Design and Disability / Beyond the Visual By Aisling Keavey, Extant Thinker-In Residence. In the last six months at Extant, I have explored recurring themes of access, perception, and knowledge prioritisation across archiving, exhibitions, conferences, symposia, and academic texts. A core tension stands out: while inclusion is attempted, cultural institutions still favour visual conventions. Efforts […]

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