Helen's Letters
Helen’s Letters is part of Lyra’s Other Side of The Hill programme. The Other Side of the Hill represents the first year of a three-year, multi arts project to create a series of new performances, artworks, workshops and events centred around themes of connection and disconnection. In 2017, Lyra is collaborating with girls and young women aged between 8 and 25 and their older female relatives and friends.
Led by Jo Timmins, Lyra's artistic director and artist in residence Lou Brodie, Helen's Letters is an in-school residency project created by Lyra and inspired by the quiet determination and tenacity of Helen Crummy and her amazing work locally, nationally and internationally.
Awarded an MBE in 1972 and an Honorary Doctorate by Heriot-Watt University in 1993, Helen is one of the 100 women celebrated on the Travelling the Distance sculpture by Shauna McMullan at the Scottish Parliament.
The project explores the connections between girls, the women they look up to and the women who have an impact on their lives. It seeks to find ways for the participants to use their voices and ask the questions they'd like to ask, not the questions they are expected to ask.
During November 2017, Helen's Letters took up week long residencies in Niddrie Mill PS, St Francis RC PS, Castlebrae Community HIgh School and Castleview PS.
Using creative exercises, games and activities the girls worked with Jo and Lou to uncover what makes a role model, the women that are important to them and the beautiful art of letter writing.
