The sun is shining and Hulme is in bloom. I’ve been growing a wildflower patch in my garden since 2020 and it’s an absolute mini wilderness and I am in love with it. I had my breakfast outside today and the whole patch is literally humming with life – butterflies, bees and beetles all about their business. If all those tiny creatures can work together to keep everything pollinated and green it gives me hope for our chances at doing similar for our own bigger world.

In my last newsletter back in February, I told you I’d recently finished an Arts Council England funding bid, and today I’m overjoyed to tell you it was successful! The Arts Council have awarded We Live Here £11,700, to support us delivering 8 creative workshops with Hulme residents across this summer, and to create 5 interview films with residents, sharing their stories about the area.

I’m really excited to begin delivering this project, and the funding has meant I now have a partner in crime…

Up until March, We Live Here was a solo operation. I am very happy to announce that I’ve been able to bring the inestimable Caitlin Rimmer on board! Caitlin is an artist and folklorist who is We Live Here’s Associate Artist. Caitlin will be working with me on all aspects of We Live Here. You’ll be hearing more from Caitlin in future newsletters.

About this summer’s plans for the project, they had this to say:

“It’s easy for conversations about where we live to get caught up in heaviness: rent increases, problems the neighbourhood faces. It’s very enjoyable to be working on a project where we can allow ourselves to scoop out the joy in where we live. Where we allow ourselves to focus on the fun bits.”

Caitlin makes art, writes bits and otherwise posts on @butchcrafts

Here’s a date for your diaries: on Sat 10 Jun there is a Land Justice workshop at Hulme Community Garden Centre, 12:30 – 16:30. I’ll be on a panel representing Hulme Tenants Union, and throughout the afternoon there’ll be opportunities to find out how to get involved in a land project or land justice campaign in the city, and to link up with others to collectivise energy to make change happen.

You can sign up here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/manchester-land-justice-workshop-tickets-593635538877

Hope to see you there!

The Housing Crisis is a Land Crisis – Lily Gordon Brown

A Great Big Dollop of Hope! – Hulme Writers

Interview about We Live Here in The Northern Quota – Elena John

Endless Forms: Why We Should Love Wasps – Seirian Sumner

101 Sonnets – ed. by Don Paterson

Got any recommended reads? Drop me an email and let me know!

For those of you who joined the mailout this month, you can find past newsletters here.

Thanks for reading, take care.

James Varney

he/him

Lead Artist, We Live Here