An audio collage of lively thoughtful audio snippets written and spoken by the young people who wrote them, to be listened to on headphones as you stroll through the town.

This work is part of a series of animated artworks and playful texts developed out of creative sessions with 11-16 year olds from OTR North Somerset in Hans Price, Westhaven, Broadoak and Winterstoke Hundred Academy, and led by artist and poet Sophie Shepherd, Summer 2022. 

Off The Record North Somerset is a mental health social movement by and for young people  offering a variety of projects and free support to promote good mental health and wellbeing.

OTR Speak: an audio collage by young people

Weathering Together is a collaborative, multi-generational community project that gathers the eclectic voices of Weston-super-Mare and explores our ever-volatile weather cycles. 

An immersive audio experience has been co-created with community groups by sound artist Joseff Harris, exploring how the natural environment forms our identity and how human impact on the natural world is dramatically changing the landscapes we know and love. It will transport you through vivid memories and nostalgia, but it will also harness the voices of the future and highlight how change must happen now.

Weathering Together

An audio installation created with young people from North Somerset, featuring poems by: 
OTR North Somerset (Congresbury Youth Partnership, Area 6t5 Nailsea, TO Youth Theatre) 
and the Rhyme against the tide poets.

Sound design by Jordan Cottle
Facilitated by Sophie Shepherd

Cover photo by Paul Blakemore 

'Speak for the Trees' was created for GLOW 2023 which took place from the 15th to 18th of February across Weston-super-Mare. 

Made in collaboration with OTR North Somerset a mental health social movement for young people, for more info: https://otrnorthsomerset.org.uk

Speak for the Trees

Chip Chat Episode 1 : What Lights Up Weston? 
Produced by Bernie Hodges for Culture Weston. 

Chip Chat goes audio! Take a listen to the first podcast episode of Chip Chat. The only show that puts the chips into the art chats. 

Chip Advisor Meg chats with international artist Chila Kumari Singh Burman,  Director of Glow Paula Birtwistle, actor and performance maker Jack Stringer and Year 6 Students at Walliscote Primary School about what lights them up in their home of Weston-super-Mare. 

From glow worms to horses and crisps in bed to  welcoming chip shops, find out what homely feelings Weston evokes for these folks. Finding your tribe and having the courage to give your passions a go are deffo top of Meg’s list for feeling at home where you live. 

This episode was recorded inside The Atlantic Fish Bar.

Chip Chat is a live archive for co-created community shrine artworks in  the 21st Century super Shrines programme. Managed by Culture Weston, in collaboration with North Somerset Council, as part of the heritage high streets action zones cultural programme, led by Historic England, in partnership with Arts Council England & The National Lottery Heritage Fund

What lights you up?

To mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS and of Windrush, UHBW NHS Foundation Trust and Super Culture are delighted to have commissioned an additional story to join Luke Jerram’s installation artwork Crossings, presented in collaboration with BBC Radio producer and documentary maker Julian May. 

Marking the 75th anniversary year of the NHS and of Windrush, this is the story of May Tanner who became the first black ward sister at Bristol Royal Infirmary. Hear how May, now 91, set sail to England from Barbados in 1956, responding to the call to help re-build a country whose ‘mother’ language, traditions and songs had filled her school days. Arriving in Bristol, May recalls feelings of familiarity crash away as ‘you couldn’t get any rice, you couldn’t even get your hair done… it was very, very strange.” Worse still was the outright hostility she faced in a city struck by racial tension. Drawing on her innate strength and dignity, May dedicated herself to caring for others and found her feet in the NHS, progressing through mental health nursing, general practice and midwifery to become the Bristol Royal Infirmary’s first black sister in Ward 12 where she stayed for a happy ’20-odd’ years. Through nursing she also found love with her ‘darling husband’ Michael who still sits by her side (and pours tea) as May recounts the story of her life.

We would like to thank Glenside Hospital Museum for putting us in touch with May Tanner. You can discover more stories of the NHS and Commonwealth Nurses through Bristol’s Glenside Hospital Museum’s project and exhibition ‘Answering the Call’, funded by Historic England. After the Second World War, Glenside Hospital became one of the many hospitals embraced by the NHS. An analysis of 320 trainee nurses from 1956 to 1966 shows 22% were from the Commonwealth, with 17% from the Caribbean islands. At that time, the ethnic minority population of the UK was 1.6%.

Glenside Hospital Museum is located in Bristol’s 1881 asylum church. It houses a unique collection that illustrates the history of mental health care, destigmatizes mental illness, and promotes understanding of personal well-being.

From Barbados to Bristol, May Tanner’s journey with the NHS

SW!M 75 was performed at the Marine Lake at 2pm on Sunday 1st October, as part of Weston Arts + Health Weekender, co-produced by The Arts & Culture Programme, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust and Super Culture. 

Supported by the National Grid’s Community Matters Fund, SW!M 75 was co-produced by Super Culture and Diverse City, following the success of Mowlem Theatre and Diverse City’s SW!M performance in Swanage Bay during the 2022 Jubilee celebrations.

Co-Directed by Claire Hodgson and Deborah Paige
Choreographed by Claire Hodgson
Audio Created by Deborah Paige
Sound by Harry Bassett

SW!M 75 - Soundscape

Produced by Bernie Hodges for Super Culture

Chip Chat goes audio! Take a listen to our second podcast episode of Chip Chat. The only show that puts the chips into the art chats.

Chip Advisor Meg chats with Heritage Queen, Cara MacMahon, and Fiona Matthews, Director of Super Culture about the PEOPLE POWER that fuels Weston-super-Mare’s high streets. 

As the 21st Century super Shrines project comes to a close, this episode reflects on how powerful it is when our neighbours ignite small positive acts of kindness & creativity. 

This episode was recorded inside The Grand Pier Fish & Chip Shop!

Chip Chat is a live archive for co-created community shrine artworks in the 21st Century super Shrines programme. Managed by Super Culture, in collaboration with North Somerset Council, as part of the Heritage High Streets’ Action Zones cultural programme, led by Historic England, in partnership with Arts Council England & The National Lottery Heritage Fund

SAVE THE DATE! Everyone is invited to an exhibition to celebrate the High Street Action Zone. Visitors will be able to explore images of the building enhancement work, as well as finding out more about the cultural engagement over the last four years. The exhibition, in Unit 27 of the Sovereign, will also show plans for the next five years. Thursday-Sunday from January 18 for 4 weeks

Chip Chat Episode 2 : PEOPLE POWER

Revel in queer stories of heritage places and everyday spaces as Tom weaves you through Weston with a theatrical flourish! 

Tom Marshman is a nationally acclaimed performance artist who makes work that celebrates the voices of the outsider, notably from the LGBTQ+ community.

To coincide with Weston Pride, Tom crafted an alternative audio, walking tour of central Weston, with a little bit of help from members of the town’s Queer community. The tour finishes at the wonderful Pride 22 Festival in Grove Park. The duration of the tour is 35 minutes.

You can follow the trail on your own device at your own leisure any time, any day. ‘Queer Tales of Weston’ is edited and produced by Bernie Hodges.

This tour is suitable for wheelchair users.  Please contact hello@superculture.org.uk with any other access requirements.

Lead image - artwork by Shruti Bhoyar

Thanks to Historic England’s Heritage Action Zone Cultural Programme for funding these events as part of 21st Century super Shrines, a 3 year programme that animates the high street with experiences and artworks co-created with local communities.

Queer Tales of Weston: Audio Tour with Tom Marshman

Bernie Hodges - Voice reel 2024

inimitable

Character Reel

Uplifting people and places in Weston-super-Mare and North Somerset through inspiring cultural initiatives

What lights you up?

Super Culture

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