VELOCITY ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAMME : THE HAPPINESS TRAIL AT CUNNINGAR LOOP

‘TIPS FOR HAPPINESS CREATED DURING LOCKDOWN’-  A STORY OF EXPLORING HAPPINESS & FINDING INSPIRATION FROM STRANGERS.

“The Happiness Trail” has delivered online creative writing and drama workshops  – all about promoting everyone who visits to take time to work on their happiness – just as you would work on your diet or fitness. It is not about saying you must be happy all the time because this pressure can be toxic. It’s about trying to find the right balance of happiness & self care whilst fulfilling commitments of work & family. It’s about accepting happiness is unique to all & forever changing however people will only know our happiness if we discuss with those around us.  Recognizing it’s unreal to be happy all the time and to take time to find out what helps you to begin to reroute yourself towards happiness.

Each piece of writing was created by the Clyde Gateway community with Velocity drama artist in residence, Karen McGrady – Parker. Since November 2020, 77 participants developed their writing online during lockdown and ranged from age 4 to 73 years. Community groups have included young families, primary schools, young carers, adult groups & women groups.  Portrait photographer Ilisa Stack  created a series of photography challenges for participants asking them to capture their happiness whilst teaching photography techniques to improve their own practice. Ilisa designed a series of 10 postcards to celebrate the programme and 1,000 of these postcards will be given to people inviting them to visit the trail in the next few weeks.

The walking trail on a short path towards the boardwalk within the park displays ‘the tips’ on engraved large slices of wood amongst the growing grass. Amongst nature people are connecting with words from strangers maybe agreeing, disagreeing, or finding inspiration. Visitors are welcome to leave a painted stone on the trail to show their own happiness or as a thank you to a particular ‘tip’ that they have enjoyed reading. The trail was placed in the park in May to celebrate mental health awareness week.

The trail is a temporary feature and as nature changes so to does the exhibition – birds, slugs & spiders are visiting the trail so why don’t you?

The Happiness Trail is a Velocity Artist in residence programme, funded by Clyde Gateway, managed & administered by Glasgow Life from 2018 to 2021; with initial support also from Creative Scotland and Festival 2018.

CONTACT : KAREN MCGRADY – PARKER

Velocity Drama Artist in residence 2018 – 2021

(Time limited programmes)

07974449883

@kmcgp

@VelocityEEARP