Our Hidden Project, a challenging and thought-provoking exploration of what it is to live with a hidden disability, is really beginning to take shape. And we're ready to share it with the world – with an exhibition at Brighton Dome next week: The Hubbub.
The whole project is community-led, and therefore, the final exhibit/performance/installation really could be anything, making it difficult to manage from a design point of view – never mind marketing and planning, and working with venues, funders or associated organisations. But that’s a whole other blog post.
However, there are some clear, unchanging intentions that we wanted to set out here. Because no matter how much the process or artistic outputs of the project flex and change, the purpose of the project remains the same.
Conversation and revelation
The Hubbub itself will open up challenging and thought provoking discussion and interactions around sometimes taboo subjects.
We will be offering provocations, inviting reaction, and encouraging storytelling within a supportive, positive environment, but not at the cost of real and authentic discussion.
The Hubbub will challenge the established social norm, where we avoid subjects in fear of insulting our subject.
We will be welcoming genuine questions about conditions and vulnerabilities, and encouraging audiences to thoroughly explore our interactive exhibits. Attendees will be invited to collaborate with us and their environment. To add to the project in whatever manner they choose. This could be just in thought, or by adding something to one of our pieces of wall art, interacting with one of us, or with one of our artistic outputs. It might be a written response to a piece, a video, or simply in conversation at our talking café.
Advocacy Toolkit
The Hidden Project will create an advocacy toolkit on invisible conditions, informed not only by the creative and focus workshops that we are undertaking but also from audience responses that will happen within the Hubbub.
We want this toolkit to be available to groups, organisations, agencies and individuals with the goal of improving inclusivity for people with invisible disabilities, living in Sussex today.
The Hidden Project Hubbub will provoke a deepening in understanding about hidden disabilities. An opening of conversation, a rejection of taboos.
In inviting this spectrum of interaction, the goal is to tear down taboos and collectively become more inclusive of individuals living with Hidden Disabilities in our society.
I hope you will come and be a part of it.