Story Shelter at Trelissick

Story Shelter is one of seventeen artworks produced for Hello Stranger, a Cornwall-wide community engagement programme created by Wildworks and supported by National Trust places in Cornwall and the communities they serve.

Story Shelter is a work of visual art comprising panels and patches, handmade by local community groups and individuals from across Cornwall, all sewn together into a mighty tent. Techniques includes: applique, embroidery, felting, fabric pens, paints and more.

Artist Bec Applebee worked with groups including: Shellal, Curious School, Black Voices Cornwall, Out of Sink, Buttons and Bobbins, and more. She hosted workshops at National Trust places across Cornwall with the Intercom Trust, NHS mental health services, Reach Out, South Hill Piecemakers, and local residents. Meanwhile, she invited anyone in Cornwall to make and send in a panel or a patch to add their story to the ever-growing shelter.

The Hello Stranger programme is a celebration of the personal stories, culture and heritage that Cornish people feel proud to share as welcome with any stranger to their homeland. Through Story Shelter, Bec has sought to create a safe haven where this act of welcome and story sharing can take place.

Story Shelter exhibits in tent form at East Pool Mine throughout September 2024, after which the tent will be disassembled and panels will be displayed at National Trust places across Cornwall during October and November.