Creative Path to Acceptance: A Loudspeaker Project Summer 2022
Creative Path to Acceptance
Women’s creative voices shared
May-July 2022
Eight women aged between 23 and 61 years from Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, Derby and Derbyshire joined the sixteenth Loudspeaker project at Nottingham Contemporary. They met weekly for ten weeks with an Associate Artist, Support Worker, Peer Mentor and Programme Manager.
Together the women explored the current exhibitions ‘The Place We Imagine’ and ‘Life on the CAPs’ at Nottingham Contemporary. They experimented with a range of materials and methods to make their own interpretations, including collaborating to make a film. The group also visited a local community growing project at St Ann’s Allotments. They discussed ideas about art, public and private spaces, relationships with the city and with nature, and cultural heritage.
Click here to view a PDF of Exhibition labels
Through exploring art together, women met new people, built self-confidence, established routines, socialised, learnt skills, felt improved wellbeing and tried new ways of making art. Sessions provided a break, ways to connect and reduced loneliness.
We asked participant S a few questions at the end of the project:
Has taking part in Loudspeaker changed things for you?
"Yes, it has in a positive way, it has made me realise the advantages of creative therapy. I was never good at art therefore always shied away from it, this course has helped me to develop my creative skills and a love of art."
What was your favourite thing about taking part?
"Participating in all of the wonderful activities and being able to be myself and knowing that just being me was good enough."
What do you think about the exhibitions at Nottingham Contemporary?
"The exhibitions are excellent and there is such a variation of different exhibitions."
Did it make you think about anything in a different way?
"I feel like the course has opened my mind to so many new things. I feel more confident now to try things that I have never tried before and embrace new opportunities. Thank you to the amazing team at Loudspeaker. You are all wonderful and the course has been really beneficial for me. Thank you for my newfound love of art and creativity."
The Loudspeaker programme is delivered by Nottingham Contemporary as part of the national Build Better Opportunities programme through the Opportunity and Change project, which is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and the European Social Fund.
Thanks to :
Participants: Aneeka, Asia, Beth, Clair, Jelena, Leah, Louise, Sam, Samantha
Peer Mentor, Emma
Associate Artist, Gillian Brent
Support Worker, Veronica O’Callaghan
Digital Producer, Catherine Masters
Loudspeaker Programme Manager, Katy Culbard