This is a creative engagement project that supports people to identify and celebrate their own STORIES of STRENGTH. The details of the project are crafted bespoke with each partner – it always centres around asking people to tell me about a time when they were strong. Most people react, at first, that they “wouldn’t have a story like that”… but everyone does! When they have told it, the impact is powerful.
STORIES of STRENGTH can be a stand alone project or it can be delivered alongside bookings of any of my Strong Lady Shows (POWER, STRONG ENOUGH, STRONG LADY). The project deeply and authentically links to the content of the shows and the combination of the two can help to enhance engagement in both.
HOW IT WORKS
To allow me to make the most potent impact possible in your community, the details of how I deliver the project are immensely flexible. In general, there are 2 stages: Gathering the stories + Celebrating them. There are also two layers of participation: Participants who share their stories + Audiences of public outcomes. (You can see specific details of the ways I have delivered the project with different partners below.)
Gathering Stories:
INTERVIEWS: This can be through outreach interviews in public places or pre-arranged interviews with specific participants. In interviews I audio record people telling their story, then take a portrait photo (after a conversation to help them identify and shape the story).
WORKSHOPS: In storytelling and wellbeing workshops I support people to identify, craft and share their story. We explore different storytelling techniques and wellbeing practices. It can be a standalone workshop or a series – over zoom or in person. The workshops can run without a public outcome, simply sharing the story at the end of the workshop – or can have public outcomes.
OTHER bespoke options for gathering stories can include collaborating with film makers on a short film of interview participants or setting up a letter writing exchange for elderly people… Talk to me about possibilities.
Celebrating Stories:
The interaction of the interview or workshop can be very powerful for participants – that sharing of their story is a celebration of themselves as strong. There are options for public outcomes that increase the impact beyond the participant to a wider audience.
ONLINE GALLERY + Social Media: An edited audio recording of the story, in combination with a portrait, can become content for a web gallery page where people can both read and hear the stories of strength from your community.
EXHIBITION: a printed exhibition in foyers, galleries, shop windows, shopping centres (or digitally as video screen displays). An A1 print for each story that includes both the portrait and written story – with a QR code to listen to it in the participant’s own voice.
OPEN MIC stage: It is possible to host an open mic style stage for people to share their stories at exhibitions or in the foyer/bar after performances of my shows. Workshop/interview participants can be prepared in advance and others may choose to spontaneously take part.
Protecting Vulnerable People:
I have considered the safety of participants deeply.
As well as emotional safety measures, I have made the public outcomes anonymous (except for the first project with Havering Changing).
I don’t include any names in the exhibitions and participants have to option to create a portrait that doesn’t include their face (eg, photo of feet, shoes or hands).
I provide risk assessment, method statement, consent forms etc.
I have consulted with engagement specialists, with a psychotherapist and with an art therapist to craft the participation in ways that are trauma aware, inclusive, impactful and safe.
Get in touch to discuss a STORIES of STRENGTH project for your community.
This project supports people to reframe challenging experiences as moments of strength (even if it didn’t feel strong at the time). I guide people to shape their story in a way that anchors to elements of strength, growth and choice. My 20 years of performing as a circus strong lady in outdoor festivals have enabled me to develop an ease in connecting with people deeply in public places, allowing me to hold space for powerful stories to emerge. My years of self-directed study into storytelling, philosophy, psychology and wellbeing also inform the ways I can help people to find and celebrate their stories. I developed elements of this project in collaboration with: creative community engagement specialists at Havering Changing (to consider ways to enhance the reach and impact of the project) + with an art psychotherapist at Metal (to ensure I developed a trauma aware and emotionally safe practice).
The content captured in interviews or at the end of workshops can be publicly shared to enhance the impact of the project. It not only amplifies the voices of those who shared stories, but it allows a wider reach where audiences of the work see their own strength reflected or sparks conversation/enquiry about what story they would have told.
Below are the details of past projects, for you to see how different bespoke projects have been shaped, and to spake ideas for how we might work together to bring Stories of strength to your community. You can also see a range of the online galleries on the main Stories of Strength page.
HAVERING CHANGING: London, UK
In partnership with HAVERING CHANGING in 2020, I collected stories through outreach interviews in public places: a shopping centre, a high street, a community centre, and outside a grocery store. The audio recordings and portraits were used to create a public outcome of: online gallery + printed exhibition displayed in the shopping centre + sharing stories on social media.
METAL: Southend, UK
In partnership with an Art Psychotherapist at METAL in 2021, I ran a number of workshop series for participants of their mental health and wellbeing project. We ran various durations for the workshop series to suit different participants: 12, 6 and 2 week versions. These lead to participants sharing their crafted stories with the group at the end of the series. There was also a mindful movement and breath work element to these workshops.
CREATIVE CRAWLEY: Crawley, UK
In partnership with CREATIVE CRAWLEY in 2021, I collected stories in a combination of pre-arranged interviews and outreach interviews in a shopping centre. These were shared as an outdoor printed exhibition alongside performances of STRONG ENOUGH at an outdoor festival day. They also became an online gallery and social media project.
Worthing Theatres + Museum: UK
In 2021 I will play my shows STRONG ENOUGH (outdoor) and POWER (indoor) in Worthing. We will use the outdoor show for audience development and then deliver a series of Stories of Strength workshops before bringing POWER to the theatre a few months later. The workshop participants will be invited (and supported) to share their stories at an open mic stage in the foyer/bar after POWER plays in the theatre. I will MC the stage. Other audience members will also be invited to share their stories in the Open Mic stage – people often want to share their own stories after seeing the show, and this will give a chance for that to happen in a supported way.
GDIF: London, UK
In partnership with GDIF in 2021, I worked with film makers at Rebel Films to capture stories in pre-arranged interviews and some public outreach interviews on a high street. We then edited a short film celebrating these stories that was displayed on large outdoor screens at the festival. We enhanced the reach of this project with an online gallery and social media project.
HAT FAIR: Winchester, UK
In partnership with HAT FAIR in 2021, I collected outreach interviews at their outdoor arts festival, alongside performances of STRONG ENOUGH. This became an online gallery and social media project – with a plan to continue collecting stories in 2021/2022. In 2022 we will mount a print exhibition in the foyer of their venue, Theatre Royal Winchester, in conjunction with a run of my theatre show POWER.
BICESTER FESTIVAL: Bicester, UK
In partnership with BICESTER FESTIVAL in 2021, I collected stories in a combination of pre-arranged interviews, outreach interviews in public places, and capturing stories after performances of STRONG ENOUGH at an outdoor festival. These were shared as an online gallery and social media project, with potential for a future printed exhibition.
WORKSHOPS: Various Partners
I have delivered stand alone Stories of Strength workshops with various partners, usually a 2 hour workshop that ends with performing the story for the other participants. Partners have included: Jackson’s Lane Theatre (public workshops for International Women’s Day + also for participants in their WOMEN RISE group); Lawrence Batley Theatre (for their youth theatre group and also for public participants); and private bookings.
BRECKLAND COUNCIL: Thetford,UK
I have delivered a Stories of Strength letter writing exchange, as part of their SILVER SOCIAL project (aimed at building a sense of connection in the elderly community of the region). Participants were sent a letter that invited and supported them to send back a story of strength in letter form. They were asked to include a photo, drawing or image of some sort to accompany the story. These became a booklet of stories that was then distributed to participants and the wider elderly community.