The Elephant in the Room

The Elephant in the Room project supports our Compassionate Communities Charter and encourages people to have meaningful conversations on death and dying, ensuring that people are able to access the support and services they need at this crucial time.

Professional and community artist Ruth Allen will work alongside community groups, who will be given a specific brief to develop artworks for an exhibition that will take place in community settings later in the year.

These artworks will be supported by text and interactive opportunities to prompt conversation, provoke thought, record experiences, that others can read and see, to make it not just an exhibition, but an experience. The exhibition will also cross market support services and instil a sense of embracing death as part of everyday life, to develop and manage our emotions, and have skills to navigate the practical requirements when it occurs.

The workshops will be conducted in a positive, light way with thinking of the audience they are intended for, as a tool to provoke conversation. This will not be an arts-therapy project, more about giving people a voice to advise and assist others – the audience.

You do not to have experience in art, just a positive and open-mind, and able to cope with the subject matter.

Anyone who would like to participate in the workshops, please email cannockchaseCAN@cannockchasedc.gov.uk with name, age, email and contact phone number. Please also state if you are available of a daytime or evening to participate in the workshops.. The deadline for interest Sunday 23 June 2024.