Like I Care (Audio Visual Installation Project)

Inspired by the caregiving role of Satsuki to her sister Mei in The Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of My Neighbour Totoro, I worked in collaboration with Warwickshire Young Carers – an organisation who provide services for young people who have caring responsibilities in their everyday lives – to help participants aged 7 to 14 transform their unique lived experiences into art.

Over six months we worked together through creative workshops with Pickle Illustration and spoken word artist Kurly McGeachie to tell previously untold stories of care.  This programme culminated in two public artwork and storytelling experiences which put the perspectives of Stratford-upon-Avon young carers at the heart of the My Neighbour Totoro (an internationally acclaimed theatre production) front of house experience, ensuring thousands of people from all over the world have engaged in their stories of care.  To bring the project home to Stratford, a bespoke artwork was installed into a shop window on Stratford-upon-Avon highstreet.

The two finished installations had an AR gamification element in which audiences can listen to the stories of the young people via two specially created phone numbers associated with each site-specific piece of work. This enhancement to the public artwork experience was supported by my learnings through the Arts Connect Digital Leadership Fellowship.