May-Aug
Our Correspondence
Synopsis: As the COVID-19 pandemic began to take hold, we recognised that there is a compounded isolation for people who don't engage online. So we developed Our Correspondence which involved sending hand-written letters in stamped addressed envelopes to residents registered with the library service's Home Delivery Service.
Written by Emma Graney, a member of the St Helens Libraries team who just so happens to be a member of the International Union of Mail Artists, the letters were sent out to approximately 180 people. Recipients were invited to respond by reflecting on their own experiences, how their lives have changed, and hopes for the future.
Approximately 13 people responded to the letters and we intend to host a series of artistic exhibitions/installations highlighting the project in summer 2022
Dates: From Spring/Summer 2020
Homework
Synopsis: In response to the fact that many artists were losing out on work at the start of the COVID-19 lockdowns, Heart Of Glass developed a small commission fund to support artists to create work from home.
Homework empowered local artists to apply for small commissions to create a new piece of work. We contributed some match funding to this programme of work and subsequently mentored 10 artists to create new work.
Artist/Company: Various
Location(s): Online
Dates: Spring 2020
Other Information: Click here for full details of the Homework Commissions
Road Dahl's - The Twits
Synopsis: Because we were unable to deliver our usual Summer Reading Challenge activities, we enlisted storyteller John Kirk to perform a very special online retelling of Roald Dahl's "The Twits" via YouTube for Cheeky Monkeys aged 4+.
Mr and Mrs Twit are disgusting people who enjoy playing horrid tricks on each other but when the Roly Poly Bird visits their garden their whole world is turned upside down!
Artist/Company: John Kirk
Location(s): Online
Dates: 1st July
Other Information: Presented with kind permission from The Roald Dahl Story Company, Casarotto Ramsay and Netflix.
Drawing With Paul Harfleet
Synopsis: As part of the Summer Reading Challenge 2020, the brilliant Paul Harfleet developed a very special drawing workshop for us, exploring the techniques required to draw fantastic birds.
Artist/Company: Paul Harfleet
Location(s): Online
Dates: August
Other Information: Click here to view/take part in Paul's Brilliant workshop
Peace Has Once Again Come To The World
Synopsis: To mark the 75th anniversary of VJ Day, we commissioned St Helens Borough artist Rebecca Ainsworth to create a new reflective soundscape.
Peace Has Once Again Come To The World utilises news reports & broadcasts from 1945, the chimes of Big Ben, and Emily Dickinson's poem, I Many Times Thought Peace Had Come, performed by St Helens Borough artist Sophie Tickle.
Artist/Company: Rebecca Ainsworth
Location(s): Online
Dates: August
Other Information: Click here to listen to the soundscape
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