tiny little histories

A community sharing programme that brings untold histories from the Midwest to life.

Creative Communities Midwest brings some of the greatest untold stories/histories in the Mid West to life through our network so that our communities can access cultural and historical experiences that we will link to a digital platform. Schools, families and communities can access local history and stories told through the medium of Arts and Culture. Based on the significant success of the Place Based Curriculum in Leeds and Hull, this project piloted five Tiny Little Histories in 2021.

These histories became part of the beginning of a collection of histories about the Mid West that is available online as an educational community resource.

Tiny Little Histories, told by the community and preserved by the community.

Creative Communities Midwest (CCM) is a professionally-resourced, network led by The GAFF to connect arts organisations and community stakeholders. The aim of the network is to further embed community engagement and develop new ways for creative communities to network.

2023

Villages

it'll be alright on the night

2022

Audio and Photographic Exhibition of Community Stories in Limerick

Through a collaborative arts methodology, Tiny Little Histories embraces a layer of oral history that too often disappears with the passing of generations. The project was piloted in 2021, inspired by the work of the Place Based Curriculum in Leeds. The GAFF with Creative Communities Midwest invited artists and community groups to share cultural and historical experiences with the intention to bring them to public audiences through digital platforms.

Then, working with UK based artist Lowri Evans and curator Maeve McGrath, artists working with community groups excavated these stories, bringing them into the public domain through this audio installation.

These seldom heard stories feature Metallica’s visit to Liscannor, the part played by the Island baths in the 1950s/60s in the lives of the local children, a unique glimpse into the reality of living within an enclosed community in 1950s Limerick, the peacocks that roamed Newcastle West, sights and sounds of Ennis of old, an exploration of the living conditions and circumstances of the Travelling Community, and recollections of growing up in a housing estate inside the walls of King John’s Castle.

The stories are stored online as a long term, accessible arts and community resource

2021

pilot project

The first edition of Tiny Little Histories took place on 20th November 2021 across our social media platforms and we were delighted to present a rich and varied selection of stories from the Midwest.

All video and audio can be found on the Creative Communities Midwest Youtube and Facebook pages.

YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD