A group of women based in East Devon have created a radio programme about the sea for Occupy the Airwaves – a celebration of women’s voices for International Women’s Day, 8th March.
Dreadnought South West will broadcast on the radio from 8am to midnight with a range of programmes, including an hour-long programme about living by the sea.
The women came together to explore the sea as a creative inspiration, as a source of wellbeing, and a way of connecting with friends and feeling close to lost loved ones. They listened to the sounds of the sea, from the crashing waves to the small sounds of rock pools.
As part of the project, the women learned new skills in recording, editing and composition and each contributed to the new programme, ‘Women and the Sea’.
Jo Swift created a sound piece about her connection with the sea. She said:“My piece is about my connection with the sea through time, through the sea as a living being, through my mother and her mother, and through memory.
“I found the project completely inspiring, lovely to work with others, learn new skills and rediscover my roots in the sea!”
Louisa Currier worked with Ren Arnold to record a conversation between two neurodivergent artists about life, art and the sea. Their contribution to the project has inspired them to make a new artwork for an exhibition. Louisa said:“We loved being part of this project. We spent two mornings together just talking about all the different ways that the sea impacts our work, and walking together looking out at the water. We opened new doors in our friendship and touched on things we’d never talked about before.”
Netty Shipcott’s part of the radio programme was inspired by her relationship with the sea, and the healing power of its sound. She said:“I find the sound of the waves across the shingle on the shoreline very meditative and relaxing. The winds whipping across the sea, and the cries of seabirds can lift my mood if I am feeling low. The wonderful buoyancy and saltiness of the sea is powerful pain relief for my arthritic joints. Healing for my mind, body and soul.”
Women and the Sea is a Dreadnought South West project funded by the Creative East Devon Fund through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. It is led by Mary Culhane and community artist Kerrie Seymour who ran free workshops and drop-in sessions exploring the diversity of women’s voices and stories about the sea.
The participants were taught new skills to record their stories using mobile phones. Others used more advanced handheld recorders and experimented with editing software for the first time. The women took to the challenge and pushed themselves to learn new skills and to be creative with sound. The participants will gather together and hear the programme for the first time in a Listening Room, at Sideshore Community Hub, Exmouth on International Women’s Day.
‘Women and the Sea’ will be broadcast from 10 to 11am on Saturday 8 March as part of Dreadnought South West’s Occupy the Airwaves on Phonic FM, Exeter’s community radio station. Programmes run from 8am until Midnight on 106.8FM, DAB+ on mobile phones or on a smart speaker.
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Women celebrate living by the sea for International Women’s Day
Gillian Taylor PR 