Mothers Who Make is an international grass roots movement, dedicated to supporting the dual role of mothers and maker/artist/creative. Our Plymouth hub aims to connect local mother makers through peer support meetings, sharing event, workshops and online discussion. We founded this hub in April 2020 as part of Mothers Who Make Devon.
Who is it for?
Every kind of maker is welcome- professional and/or passionate – writers, painters, performers, film makers, musicians, technicians, producers, bakers, crafters, taxidermists, academics …. Every kind of mother/non binary parent is welcome - biological, adoptive, step, surrogate, foster, bereaved, grand, great grand, to be ….
Children, of any age, are welcome. Your dual role as mother and maker is given equal status at all our events.
We want as many people as possible to be part of the unfolding MWM conversations. Our reach is across generations and art forms – we are thrilled by the plurality of voices that are part of this discussion.
Every MWM hub shares a common ethos and practice but is able to grow and develop in response to the needs and interests of the regional artists that attend it. You are invited to join and help shape this inspiring and growing movement.
What to expect from your hub:
Peer Support: These meetings aim to give you the space to explore your creative practice and identities alongside your caring roles. We have a core peer-support talking circle structure which we explain at the start of every meeting. Each meeting is facilitated by a local mother-artist and together we explore the emergent themes in our mothering and making, points of connection between the two roles, points of dissonance, particular challenges, helpful resources. The meetings are non-hierarchical, the facilitator acts as a guide to take you through the meeting, but also share as a fellow mother maker.
“I felt like I wasn’t an artist anymore because I wasn’t making anything. I felt lost in my creative practice and isolated from the arts community before I joined. But the circle of women at every meeting inspired me to keep making, to value my mothering, to find the creativity in caring, and motivated me to keep going. Now I’ve written a solo show I’m taking around to the festivals this summer. All because of the support and inspiration I got from MWM.”
Next Meeting:
We are planning 2021 meetings. Please see our Facebook group for updates or visit one of our other Devon hubs (Exeter, Barnstaple, Torbay and Dartmoor).
Connect with the wider MWM network:
Where:
We plan to meet at Ocean Studios in 2021
Royal William Yard, Plymouth PL1 3RP. Enter via the cafe, up the stairs /lift to first floor.
Facilitated by:
Jules Marshall - Mother, Creative Freelance Project Manager, RSA fellow and curious thinker. You'll usually find Jules fulled on coffee, racing around designing cardboard rockets, whilst chasing an awesome 2 year old.
MWM Devon was a 2020 pilot produced by Lizzy Humber and supported by:
