China Plate and Coventry University present
Content warnings: These pieces contains themes of mortality and illness and is based on real life testimonies from front line NHS workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Moving, Cathartic, A special workshop to be part of"
Healthcare Worker Participant 2020
The Humans Not Heroes project began in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven cohorts of healthcare workers have worked with writers, actors, and a sound designer to co-create seven audio artworks based on their real-life experiences of working throughout the pandemic. Participants are from a variety of roles and experiences, from up and down the country.
Five artworks were launched as part of the UNMASKED: Real Stories of Nursing in Covid-19 exhibition at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Library in London, running from the 12th May – 21st October 2023; with a further two pieces being added to the collection and exhibition, which had been co-created with RCN members.
The exhibition has now moved to Royal College of Nursing Scotland Learning Hub in Edinburgh. The exhibition will be open to the public from Monday 4th December and run until 16th May 2024. For more information, please visit the RCN website here.
If you are unable to visit the exhibition in person, the audio pieces can be experienced online via our webpage here too.
Boats on an Ocean and Thresholds were both made with support from Coventry Creates and featured in their 2020 and 2021 Coventry Creates online digital exhibitions. For more information, head to the Coventry Creates website here.
Humans Not Heroes as a project was shortlisted for the Student Nursing Times Awards 2021 in the Teaching Innovation of the Year category. Boats on an Ocean as a pilot was shortlisted for the Culture Health and Wellbeing Alliance 2021 Collective Power Award.
In addition to the artworks, the team have also shared the processes and thoughts behind the work, including speaking at The People Place Power conference in December 2021, as well as at the University of Warwick’s Resonate Festival.
If you would like to learn more about Humans Not Heroes, please contact Susan Wareham on [email protected]
Funded by The Rayne Foundation, Coventry Creates (partnership between the University of Warwick and Coventry University) and The Churchill Fellowship. Ethical approval granted by Coventry University.
Photo © Justine Desmond
LISTEN ONLINE
The audio pieces are also available to listen to through this webpage as part of the online version of the exhibition, please click here to access or scroll down the page to view the video playlist. To select an audio piece, click on the down arrow to see all 7 videos. Listening instructions are provided below – we recommend reading these before engaging with the pieces. There is also a transcript of each piece available in the ‘Downloads’ block below.
CONTENT WARNING: These pieces contain themes of mortality and illness and is based on real life testimonies from front line NHS workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Listening Instructions
These pieces are emotive and designed to be intimate listening experiences. We would recommend somewhere quiet and comfortable.
Dr Liz Sparkes (Health Psychologist) recommends the following three steps to release tension and engage with feelings of wellbeing and compassion, before/during or after your listening experience:
If, after listening to these audio recordings, you need to talk to someone about your experiences or someone you care about, there is advice and emotional support available from The Samaritans www.samaritans.org or call 116123 for free advice.
If you are a healthcare leader or manager, and want more advice on how to support your team, go to: www.supporttheworkers.org or contact us if you would like to use this resource with your healthcare team.
VISIT IN PERSON
The Humans Not Heroes audio artworks are on display in the UNMASKED: Real Stories of Nursing in Covid-19 exhibition at the Royal College of Nursing Scotland Learning Hub in Edinburgh.
Royal College of Nursing Scotland Learning Hub
42 South Oswald Road
Edinburgh
EH9 2HH
Open from Monday 4th December 2023 until 16th May 2024, the exhibition is free to attend and will be open to the public when the learning hub is open, which is Monday to Thursday, 10am – 4pm – closed on weekends and public holidays. For up to date opening hours and directions on how to get the library, please visit the Royal College of Nursing website here.
“It’s been really nice to be part of a process where you feel like your voice is heard… these are stories worth telling. These are experiences, feelings, emotions that are worth being portrayed through the arts.”
GET INVOLVED – tell your story!
Alongside an exhibition of the existing artworks, we are inviting RCN members to be involved in the creation of a seventh piece that will be added to the series. Through the process you will:
Dates, locations & booking details:
The process consists of three workshops – and you’ll need to commit to all three to be involved (dates below):
Workshop 1 (24th January 2024): Taking place online, this will be a creative exploration and sharing of experiences of working through the Covid-19 pandemic through creative writing activities. Material generated will be the inspiration of Caroline’s written piece.
Workshop 2 (22nd February 2024): Having read the piece generated from workshop 1 in advance, this is a chance for you to shape the professional audio piece. You will think about who is telling this story (how old are they? What do they look like? How do they sound?), where is it taking place (background noise/music) and the general tone of the piece (happy/sad/sombering/funny/etc).
Workshop 3 (24th April 2024): A private sharing of the piece, alongside family/friends/colleagues, and a chance to reflect on the process and responses to the final product from those that co-created it and those that are experiencing it for the first time at the sharing.
If you have any questions or require further information, please contact Susan Wareham on [email protected]
Boats On An Ocean
“This is the moment when everyone else will just see sunshine today, but for me, I know this is the beginning of it.”
Writer & Director | Nick Walker
Performer | Bharti Patel
Sound Designer | Char Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers
Created for Coventry Creates
Click here to read a transcript of the piece.
Thresholds
“Today I drove to the hospital, and parked on a side street far away. Engine off. Earphones in. And walk. I keep my music playing until the last possible moment before I start my shift.”
Writer and Director | Rochi Rampal
Actor | Urielle Klein-Mekongo
Sound Designer | Char Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers
Created for Coventry Creates
Click here to read a transcript of the piece.
Stopped
“The statue and the poet watch as a huge black bird – with a bald bony body and feathered head the size of a car – settles herself on the roof of the hospital. She shuffles about wrapping and rewrapping her tatty wings around the ugly concrete. Like she’s trying to keep it warm, keep it safe.”
Writer and Director | Caroline Horton
Actor | Tessa Parr
Sound Designer | Char Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers
Click here to read a transcript of the piece.
Miles of Corridors
“I’ll tell you something. I’ll tell you a story. It’s only short, in the grand scheme of things. It won’t last long, but it feels like an eternity “
Writer and Director | Rochi Rampal
Actor | Alison Belbin
Sound Designer | Char Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers
Click here to read a transcript of the piece.
I Love The Feeling After A Run
“I love the feeling after a run. It’s like I’ve re-entered my body. Like I’ve moved through something.”
Writer and Director | Caroline Horton
Actor | Hannah Boyde
Sound Designer | Char Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers
Click here to read a transcript of the piece.
Rescue Mission
“And here we are. Rupa and Carmel and Marissa and Donna and me. We hold hands. Connected like the hearts on the wall.”
Writer and Director: Rochi Rampal
Actor: Nicole Sawyerr
Sound Designer: Char Bickley
Participant Co-creators: Multidisciplinary healthcare workers
Click here to read a transcript of the piece.
Shadows
Four years ago – March 2020 – we had no clue what was coming.
And Joe – you were so wee.
And the weather was so warm.
And I was fine for the longest time.
Writer and Director | Caroline Horton
Actor | Julia Taudevin
BSL performer: Carly Brownlie
Sound Designer | Char Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers
Video Design: Jay Thomas Morton
© Justine Desmond
© Justine Desmond
© Justine Desmond
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