This page chronicles the 2020 version of HELD. Click here for the new, digital version.
Boxes were distributed across the UK by Gulbenkian, Rich Mix, Wiltshire Creative and Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
A journey for your imagination
Open the box and step inside.
Climb into the eye of your imagination and let us transport you somewhere new. What can you hear? What do you feel? What can you smell? What can you taste?
HELD is a multi-sensory experience of new music specifically designed to take you on a journey within your own home, physically and imaginatively.
To begin with you will receive a Journey Box containing a login to an online portal, make sure you sign in to begin your experience and gather the directions you will need for your voyage.
We look forward to travelling with you.
HELD was commissioned by Gulbenkian, Midland Arts Centre, Rich Mix, Concordia University and Future Arts Centres and is delivered with the generous support from ACE. Delivered with additional venue partners Wiltshire Creative and Artfelt at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
Photography © Sara Marinangeli
Who made it?
Youth Testers
Ajay, Erin, Joseph, Leo, Luca, Polly, Sapphi and Willow
Production
Eleni Kyraciou (Creative Producer)
Marah Stafford (Creative producer)
Lucy Atkinson (Executive Producer)
Music Production
Chris Timpson
John Hendicott
Outreach
Linz Nakorn
Alice Phelps
Microsite Designer and Developer
Nicholas Hart
Marketing
Rachel McCall
Evaluation
Clare Jonas
Creative Team
Stephanie Singer (Director)
Ashraf Ejjbair (Lead Writer)
Anna Pearce (Devisor)
Eileih Muir (Devisor)
Box Design
Freyja Sewell
Chef
Adam Thomason
Perfume
Sarah McCartney for 4160 Tuesdays
Illustrations
Maria Medem
Music
Stephanie Singer (Lead Composer)
Alice Phelps (Composer and Arranger)
Johnny Chung (Composer and Arranger)
Phaedra Ensemble (Strings)
Phillip Grannel (Arranger)
Jamie Hamilton (Arranger)
Youth Testers
We met once every three weeks from the beginning of lockdown over Zoom. Together we devised and created lots of different materials that inspired and led to the creation of the HELD experience.
We spent time listening to music, we made pictures, videos, dens and other things inspired by it. Below are our self-portraits to show you a little bit about us.
From left to right: Ajay, Erin, Joe, Leo, Luca, Polly, Sapphi and Willow
HELD Participation
Our facilitators Linzy Na Nakorn and Alice Phelps ran a participation programme with residents of Mild May care home and local young people. In addition created a multi-sensory workshop programme for Sense UK and ran a session with members from Headway.
The focus was ‘What does it mean to be held in the era of isolation?’
Email info@bittersuite.org to take part in a HELD workshop.
