My Story

My Story is a community arts project in libraries around Hertfordshire.

My Story

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Thanks to very generous funding from the Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants, we are delighted to present an ambitious programme of residencies at our libraries until June 2025.

View the full schedule of residencies below or check our other My Story events

Partner logos

Hertfordshire Libraries are proud to be partner with the Hertfordshire organisations listed above on the My Story project.

The story so far…

We've been proud to present My Story, our community arts project, since the pilot in 2019. The project began by encouraging members of the Hertfordshire community to share their stories of adolescence and growing up. The project worked with professional artists to bring these stories to life via a series of public workshops.

In 2021 and 2022, we hosted pilot residencies at Hitchin and North Watford Libraries with the artists Sophie Gresswell (Hitchin) and Sheila De Rosa (North Watford).

Arts Council National Lottery Project Grant funding then ensured we could present residencies across our library spaces from 2023-2025. So far this has included Victoria Culf, Katharine Harper, Hazel Russell, Kate Dean and Paula Watkins, Laura Cordery, Anna Schofield, Casey Joy and Mandy Johnson.

Libraries throughout St Albans

Mandy Johnson explored the joy that can be found in art across the St Albans, Harpenden and Marshalwick libraries and in community settings. Her workshops brought over 1000 people to engage with creativity.

Hoddesdon and Cheshunt Libraries

Casey Joy lead workshops for all ages and abilities in Hoddesdon and Cheshunt. A successful 4 week course in creativity gave attendees the opportunity to connect with new people and learn new techniques in a safe and exclusive environment.

Anna Schofield's Residency

Anna led forest bathing sessions for new parents to combat loneliness, hosted watercolour workshops for those living with dementia and their carers, worked with a local SEND school creating art from nature and found objects, and so much more.

Hertfordshire's History

Laura Cordery explored local characters and stories, taking inspiration from archive material and workshop participants to create a collaborative Victorian tunnel book inspired model box of a Hertfordshire pageant.

Little Books of Calm

Kate Dean and Paula Watkins invited local residents to tell their own stories and make their own ‘Little Book of Calm’. Their sessions allowed participants to meet likeminded people and enjoy creativity without any pressure.

Collaborative Map of Stevenage

Katharine Harper worked closely with Stevenage residents and visited community hubs like Ridlins Athletics track and Stevenage FC to amplify the voices of Stevenage residents for her collaborative map of the town.

Hazel Russell’s Residency

Hazel led an autumnal nature walk, created lights with families over Diwali and Fireworks Night and helped Hatfield residents create junk journals for the New Year. Her events gave people of all ages a chance experience something new and feel agency over their own creativity.

Weaving Stories Together

Victoria Culf hosted brilliant events over the summer on the theme of ‘weaving our stories together’. She interacted with the community and gave agency to local families by teaching them creative activities they could do with just household items.

Every Envelope Tells a Story

Sophie’s project, Every Envelope Tells A Story, explored the themes of identity and heritage within the Hitchin community.

Sheila de Rosa’s Residency

Sheila’s project explored the importance of place. She worked with the community of North Watford on a variety of projects from paper houses and folded books to photo transfer prints.

Arts Council England and Hertfordshire County Council logos

My Story

My Story

The story so far…

Libraries throughout St Albans

Hoddesdon and Cheshunt Libraries

Anna Schofield's Residency

Hertfordshire's History

Little Books of Calm

Collaborative Map of Stevenage

Hazel Russell’s Residency

Weaving Stories Together

Every Envelope Tells a Story

Sheila de Rosa’s Residency

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