Instagram Live, Zoom quiz nights, podcasts, at home workouts. In the last few months these forms of connections have skyrocketed into the public consciousness with everyone and their granny (literally) logging on to connect with the world. It makes sense, now more than ever we all are desperate to grasp onto as much human connection as we can.
Prior to lockdown, Future Paisley was building some great momentum with the Green Tease Event, the success of the Book Festival and lots of other exciting projects in the horizon. However along with the rest of the world a lot of this had to be put on hold. The idea of creating a podcast came to us when the sadness and reality of all this really hit, it shone a little light of hope during a dark time.
Fast forward a few weeks, we have a schedule, we have a production team (Erskine Arts) and we have our first two guest ready to record in their home-made recording booths (examples below).
The conversation between our first guests Sharon McAuley from the Star Project and Alan McNiven from Engage Renfrewshire, was funny, insightful and honest. They spoke of how people and communities are coping and doing what they can to make all this a little bit more manageable.
These podcasts hope to give a voice to the people who aren’t being heard right now, and we want them to be real and reassuring. I personally feel that being honest about how we are feeling and, attempting to, cope right now is the most positive and productive thing for everyone, to be given that reminder that everyone is going through the same thing you are. As Alan mentioned in the podcast, people just have to be a bit more obvious about how we are feeling right now, because we all need that connection.
Each episode, as well as providing an important form of local connection, will also be used as time capsule of this experience. Something that we can use to show how culture coped and showed its reliance during this uncertain time.
 If you want to have a listen, you can find it on Spotify and SoundCloud we have a more exciting episodes to come!
This blog was written by Emma Hillcoat, Emma is Future Paisley Programme Coordinator at Renfrewshire Council.
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