Empowering Voices
Empowering Voices is a creative community project that shines a light on the often-hidden experiences of people living with long-term health conditions and invisible disabilities.
Led by Northumbria University and Equal Arts, and shaped by local residents, artists, and researchers, the project aims to challenge stigma, reduce isolation, and support wellbeing through art, storytelling, and digital creation.
At its core, Empowering Voices is about people finding and sharing their voice. Together, participants have explored what it means to live with challenges that can’t always be seen, discovering new ways to express identity, connect with others, and be understood.
Silent Voices: Our Hidden Stories
Silent Voices: Our Hidden Stories is the first public exhibition to emerge from the Empowering Voices project.
Residents of Mulgrave Villas in Gateshead share their stories below. Each one offers a glimpse into the emotions, humour and strength that shape their everyday experiences. Their words encourage us to look beyond what is visible and remind us that everyone has a voice worth hearing: that visibility can begin with simply listening.
Click on the images below to hear each story.
Click the images to access the participants' stories
