Love and place
Stories of love and loss, friendship and inspiration have often recurred throughout the ten years of projects at The Women’s Library. For Where the Heart is, the group focused on love in all its manifestations and representations. They discovered more than 90 words to express the many facets of love. The life of Sylvia Pankhurst, whose passion for the cause of women’s suffrage was expressed through campaigns, but also a very practical engagement with the women of the East End, was an inspiration to the group throughout the course of the project.

As the women shared their experiences they discovered that they fell into clusters; stories of romance and excitement; of loss; of belonging; of friendship; family; and passion for justice.

LIFT Festival
The women created a series of evocative podcasts, which took the listener on a walk of love around the local area. On June 30th and July 1st Where The Heart Is was presented as part of the LIFT (London International Festival of Theatre) 2012 Festival.
The audience was invited to take a walk, starting from the Library, guided by the podcast and a special map. Signposted by still and moving images located in significant places, the women’s voices guided the audience through the area, before inviting them for afternoon tea at the Library. LIFT’s Artistic Director, Mark Ball, called the work “beautiful, and important”.

Download the podcasts and map

Heart Sparkle
Heartfelt
Hearts Ease
Heartstrings
Heartache
Heartlands

Download Where the Heart is map

BBC Radio 4, Woman’s Hour
The group met with journalist Lizz Pearson to
share their stories of the heart for a special on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s
Hour. Listen to the show here.

Participants
Students from Mulberry School for Girls
Local older women

Artists
Sue Mayo (creative writing)
Lesley Pinder (film artist)
Jules Wilkinson (sound artist)

Funders