In collaboration with the University of Exeter’s Wellcome Centre for the Cultures and Environments of Health (WCCEH), in partnership with Exeter Northcott Theatre and the Intercom Trust.  Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). It is one of only 10 E.D.I (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion awards nationally in 2021).  Natalie has been commissioned to write about LGBTQIA+ loneliness and belonging in the South West.  Working with Dr Charlotte Jones who is academic project lead, Dr Richard Vytniorgu and Dr Fred Cooper from the University of Exeter.  

You can read more in the Beat of Our Hearts project blog.

Research and development will be followed by the creation of a new play for the stage called The Beat of Our Hearts.  A team of LGBTQIA+ creatives will be hired to turn the play into a production for Exeter Northcott 3rd – 5th February 2022 exeternorthcott.co.uk

Script and creative team development will take place this autumn, alongside public workshops, an event as part of Being Human Festival November 2021. This is supported and funded by Arts Council England South West. With Producer Naomi Turner on board to lead on building an LGBTQIA inclusive wider creative team.  Natalie will also be working with Gillian Taylor to develop some new short films on playwriting that will be free to access in January 2022 so watch this space for them as they will be hosted on this website.

The production will be BSL Interpreted and digitally captured to then reach a much wider audience online. 

The project is working closely with the Intercom Trust who are an LGBTQ charity and advocacy organisation that support people in Cornwall, Devon and Dorset and the wider South West with LGBTQ issues intercomtrust.org.uk  It has a free helpline: 0800 612 3010.

Design work by Frank Duffy. You can find out more about their work here: frankduffy.co.uk