January 2021 to May 2023

First Words in Dalston was a visual and audio installation on more than 100m of hoarding in Dalston Square, London, UK.

During the first Covid lockdown, when public institutions were shut, the project connected Dalston CLR James Library, located at the heart of the square, with its public and its public with the library.

We invited library members, staff and neighbours to contribute to the artwork by sharing the text and an audio recording of the first sentence from their favourite book. Seventy plus contributions were compiled into themes and painted on the hoarding and the soundscape performed over embedded loud speakers.

Second First Words in Dalston was an outdoor public performance held on National Poetry Day, 7 October 2021 in Dalston Square, London, UK.

The event premiered four new audio works by Duncan Chapman (composer/sound artist/musician), Hilary Sturt & Ian Pressland (creative musicians), and Fiona Horigan (multi-media artist) that incorporated the sound recordings of the first sentences we collected.

First Words in Dalston was generously supported by Jesella Construction and the London Borough of Hackney.