More Than a Hundred Stories

We are two artists, interested in how art can animate, challenge and create communities. We’ve been commissioned by Creative People and Places to creatively map and respond to its achievements, the problems it faces, and the questions it has generated.

We are interested in the programme’s ambition to change how art is commissioned and experienced and will be exploring how and to what extent this ambition has been realised across all 21 projects.

We will be posting creative responses to conversations, observations and research throughout the project and will share our final work with you in autumn 2016. Do join us and follow our creative journey on this blog.

You can find out more about our work at:
www.urbanwords.org.uk and www.nicolemollett.co.uk.

Sarah Butler and Nicole Mollett

Second Best

11.11.15

 

I don't suppose you know what it's like, to be second best. Or not even second, but third or fourth – somewhere so far down the line no-one can be bothered to count. I don't suppose you know what it's like to be overlooked. Remember those children's stories about invisibility cloaks? You longed for one, I'm sure. You laughed about how much fun it would be. You never thought how lonely it would feel. You never wondered what would happen if you couldn't take it off. I don't suppose you know how it feels to start each day thinking I can't, to know before you try that nothing will work out. I don't suppose you know what it's like to watch you – with your looks and your money, your glitter and your shine, your easy confidence. They say jealousy comes in shades of green, but this feels more like the heavy velvet blue of a midnight sky.

 

Sarah Butler

Inspired by conversations with CPP projects about confidence, during my cycling trip across the 'Northern Belt'