Extant

08/10/2026

Announcing our new Operations Lead, Sammy Musani. Welcome to the Extant team!

Sammy will co-pilot this role alongside our sighted Operations Director, Ian Abbott and will share the responsibility of delivering the operational side of Extant. This co-piloting model is another example of organisational innovation that Extant has developed.

Find out more about Sammy via our website.

Extant announce their new Operations Lead, Sammy Musani who joins the team in a new co-piloted role in October 2026.

07/10/2026

Reflections on the Unexpected - Read Tam Gilbert's new blog on her experience as Extant's Trainee Artistic Director....from diving into a sea of unknowns to driving recruitment campaigns, partaking in training and to growing professionally as a leader. Click the link below to find out about her journey

Reflections on the Unexpected, a blog by Tam Gilbert, Extant's Trainee Artistic Director on her traineeship.

16/09/2026

Booking opens this Friday for the Gala Programme at the 70th
BFI London Film Festival (7–18 October).
Check out the programme and book tickets (from Friday) at https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/
Plus Extant networks get access to a special code. If you're visually impaired contact us directly for the code.

Everyone is invited – discover the world’s best new films, series and immersive storytelling.

11/09/2026

Read all about our impact at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, including our increase in activities, partnerships, profile and plenty more!

Image description: A group of 15 visually impaired artists, Extant team members and access workers are smiling for a photo on a black box theatre stage. They are a diverse group of people, and at the front three people are holding canes.

https://extant.org.uk/edinburgh-festival-fringe-2026

31/08/2026

We are pleased to announce that is the Disability Champions Award Winner at the Awards 2026. Thank you so much to Jodie Adams from Underbelly for accepting the award on Maria’s behalf and to the panel for the award🏆

Image description: A hand holds the Disability Champions Award Framed Certificate. It is a light blue photo frame with scallop edges, and with a yellow background and black text, which reads ‘Neurodiverse Review Awards 2026’. Below this is the Neurodiverse reviews logo and then black text, which reads ‘Disability Champions Award’ and ‘Maria Oshodi – Extant’.

28/08/2026

Extant is no stranger to embracing technological innovation in its enquiry into lived experience of visual impairment in the exploration of more accessible performance.

This year, we have brought the first ever visually impaired artist showcase to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to share with industry partners how much visually impaired talent there is in the UK.

As part of our work in Edinburgh, we partnered with Meta to look at where their AI glasses could play a useful role in relation to assistive tech and the Fringe experience. Two of the showcase artists (Holly Thomas and Aarian Mehrabani) alongside our CEO/AD Dr Maria Oshodi spent time chatting with comedian and broadcaster Chris McCausland and this video documents what they got up to.

Meta Chris McCausland , .m and ChewBoy Productions

25/08/2026

Our friends VocalEyes - describing the arts are hiring for a Training and Consultancy Manager🎭

This is a new role and is an exciting opportunity for someone who can combine lived experience of blindness or visual impairment with expertise in training, accessibility and influencing change.

The role is part time, 3 days per week at £21,630 per annum.

Deadline to apply: 13 September (midnight)

24/08/2026

Final call for applications...Join our new visually impaired leadership team - The Extant Hive - as part of our 30th anniversary, we will be transforming.
Applications close for The Extant Hive, tomorrow (Tuesday 25th August) at 12noon.
Apply before the deadline!

We are recruiting Performing Arts Leads, Strategic Lead and an Innovation and Partnerships Lead to form Extant's Leadership team: The Hive.

14/08/2026

Last few slots available! Up at Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year? Drop in and talk to our Artist Development Manager, Louisa Sanfey on Sunday 16th August at Fringe Central.

Louisa can advise artists on how to write, record and upload an audio introduction for your Fringe show, making it more accessible to visually impaired people.

Address: 6 Infirmary St, Edinburgh, EH1, 1LS Engagement and Access Room.

You must book a slot on the below link.

[email protected]/?ismsaljsauthenabled&fbclid=IwY2xjawTsII1wZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR56wjcx73X1lgkB7hErjgPdOsiCbSyqNGEE7O8capcw6DMNjVEWGAQPS-uPPA_aem_GqOeB9imETw8U_gOKpBSMQ" rel="ugc" target="_blank">https://bookings.cloud.microsoft/book/[email protected]/?ismsaljsauthenabled&fbclid=IwY2xjawTsII1wZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR56wjcx73X1lgkB7hErjgPdOsiCbSyqNGEE7O8capcw6DMNjVEWGAQPS-uPPA_aem_GqOeB9imETw8U_gOKpBSMQ

12/08/2026

Applications are open for The Extant Hive with 4 paid positions available!

Founded in 1997, we will celebrate our 30th anniversary in 2027 and as part of this journey, we are transforming. Our new leadership team will be called The Extant Hive.

Extant has made a commitment to working towards all its internal roles being held by visually impaired people by 2033. The Extant Hive will begin this process.

Applications will close on Tuesday 25th August, 12pm.

Don’t miss out - apply now!

We are recruiting Performing Arts Leads, Strategic Lead and an Innovation and Partnerships Lead to form Extant's Leadership team: The Hive.