An over-sized chandelier hangs from the ceiling in the lounge area at the Orwell Hotel in Felixstowe. Individual segments of crystal vibrate gently reacting to the weight of those who walk on the floor directly above. A large crack running the length of the ceiling indicates the long-term structural…

On accepting the Aberdeen mission, Johanna and I knew there would be plenty of ground to cover. From the very start we were keen to assemble a team of eavesdroppers; on site experts who would bring their knowledge of the local area to bear on the investigation.   Our…

Stolen Voices – A workshop in listening and creative practice Seventeen, 17 Belmont Street, Aberdeen, AB10 1JR Wednesday 5th April 2017 6 – 8pm Please join us on 5 April for a workshop on listening and creative practice. This workshop is open to all community members whether you already practice writing, painting,…

I took the train from Leeds to Aberdeen, as we pulled out of Edinburgh, I realised this was the farthest North I had ever been. Living in Durham, Aberdeen and Dundee are often the final destination of all trains heading north, so they had certainly been on the map…

I took a cab from the airport, and the radio was tuned to a station playing 1970s American country music. I’ve heard Aberdeen described as Little Houston, but this seemed really on the nose. Don Williams’ ‘Living on Tulsa Time’ came on. It would be in my head all…

Delighted that Stolen Voices was included in a recent episode of Soundhub on ResonanceFM, hosted by Michael Betteridge and Anna Braithwaite! The episode looks at crossovers between verbatim theatre and music composition. Listen from 35m50s to hear an excerpt from our Seaham gig night and some nice words from…

  One of the key elements of Stolen Voices is the process and its relationship to listening. The Critical Conversation, held at Old Low Light (The Net), North Shields, provided some valuable time for reflection and for sharing how listening had informed and shaped the project. It also provided…

Mariam asked us for a story. She needed something to start with, something she could ignore. We had sent her a dispatch in the post with notes, artefacts, a 7-inch record of Robin Scott’s ‘That’s the Way the Money Goes’, and a DVD with a compilation of home movies,…

A wonderful feature on Stolen Voices on BBC Radio Newcastle produced by Russell Ward, recorded at Roobarb ‘n Custard Café with Rebecca Louise Collins and East Durham Artist Network member Jac Howard!  

Rebecca and I were sitting around a table with Jean, Jac, and Jean, and we got so carried away by the conversation that almost without our knowledge, we discovered that not only was a sunrise session on the Blast a good idea, it was a necessity. Jean Spence, Jac…