Project name: The way we see it
Participants: Llamau: Wales’ leading homelessness charity
Lead artist: clare e. potter
Project outcome:
A week’s exhibition spotlight as part of Llamau’s Our World project exhibition.
Project information:
The project was be democratic; a coming together of minds and creative vision to determine how and what was created as a group. The participants used their talents and insights to co-shape the direction of the workshop format and content. It was a joint enterprise, all learning together. Llamau staff, participants and I reflected as each session progressed – the ongoing conversations forming an important part of the creative process ensuring agency and choice. Ultimately, the aim of the workshops was for the individuals to feel listened to, empowered and that they were advancing in skills and wellbeing through fun activities and creative content they connected with and responded to.
Artist biography:
clare e. potter is a writer-performer who taught in New Orleans. As an arts practitioner, she believes poetry can be a force for personal and social change. She directed a BBC documentary about her local barber resulting in a group forming to save the village miner’s institute.
Awards include two Literature Wales writing bursaries, Arts Council funding for a poetry/jazz collaboration about Hurricane Katrina. clare did a TEDx talk, received commissions for public poetry installations and translated for the National Poet of Wales. Writer residencies include Moravian Academy, Pennsylvania, The Landmark Trust. She was a Hay Festival Writer at Work. Later this year, she’ll make the People’s Poetry radio show.
“I want to share how reading/hearing/writing poetry can be more radical than just for enjoyment and solace. That making art (spoken word, visual poems etc) is part of a process of healing, accessing self-awareness, strengthening voice and confidence, helping people to advocate for themselves; that creative expression is a tool to confront and change unjust or inefficient policies. I hope this project builds on the participants’ strengths, provides new skills and insights so that they will feel emboldened. I’m looking forward to supporting them through this creative time.”
Blog
Read clare’s blog as she reflects on the project, and the benefits of using poetry to support well-being.