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How to Look After a Grieving Elephant (and other social animals)

23rd Apr 2024

A children’s participatory project about grief.

Project Details
Creative Team
  • Artist: Jenny Gaskell
  • Producers: Rhyannon Parry, Danny Woods

How to Look After a Grieving Elephant (and other social animals) is a children’s participatory art project about grief, by artist Jenny Gaskell. The aim for this project is to get children and adults talking about grief, how we might care for each other, and of course, to have fun along the way.

Working with children aged 5-10, Jenny is researching how some animals act differently when an animal close to them dies. Over a series of art workshops, games and crafts, our collaborators are learning about some of the ways that animals - including elephants, giraffes, whales and wolves - share their grief, and how we can look after ourselves as humans too.

A collection of green post its with suggestions for support including "be a good friend" and "listen to music"
Suggestions from children of ways to offer support

The thoughts, findings and feelings shared during our workshops will inspire an audio art project. The piece will be shared with the public in St Helens in November 2024.

The project is created by Jenny Gaskell, Heart of Glass and Wonder Arts, with Willowbrook Hospice and Child Bereavement UK. Supported by Arts Council England’s Creative People and Places programme.

Support

Child Bereavement UK help children, young people, parents, and families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies.