Earlier in 2020, we put out a call to local artists, creatives, and community groups to apply for our Seed Commissions.

One of the six projects is Hannah Whittaker’s Drawing On Wisdom that brings together two generations in Gillingham.

Here Hannah explains a bit more about the project…

 

Image: Hannah Whittaker

 

“But why can’t I go outside and play with my friends?”

Many parents have struggled to explain both the situation and importance of social distancing to their children.

While children themselves might not be particularly vulnerable to the virus, it’s been about making them understand that, as carriers, they put others at risk – namely, the older generations.

The key to this is empathy, and that can be a difficult skill to teach young children. At the same time, if anyone is able to empathise with them during this time, it’s the older members of our community.

Those aged 80+ will have grown up during World War II and the years of austerity that followed. They know all too well what it means to live through adversity and have their childhoods momentarily put on pause.

Drawing On Wisdom aims to bring together the older and young members of the community in Gillingham: to share, listen, learn and create, and to contemplate their shared experiences of childhood challenges.

To read more about Drawing On Wisdom, and Hannah’s the other work , visit her website: http://hannahwhittaker.com/

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