Hello everyone, and happy Saturday! I hope you are all well. My Master's project is fast approaching and I would love to collaborate with you again in the future. I thought I'd ask if there is anything in particular you all would like to see/do as a group for future projects, any ideas, concepts or outputs you would like to explore? I am extremely passionate about the environment, sustainability, ethics and community so I hope to work along these themes. What do you all think? Feel free to comment and let me know! - Shannon (Alone, Together)

You may have seen the term social sustainability whilst browsing our website- but what does it mean? You see, sustainability does not just refer to the environment; the environment is just one of three realms of sustainability. These three pillars are: economic, environmental, and social. The balancing of these three realms is vital to achieve and obtain sustainable development. Social sustainability refers, as you can imagine, to people. It refers to the ability of societies to achieve a homeostatic balance- or in other words, to live together in harmony (Sustainability and Sustainable Development - Circular Ecology, n.d.). Throughout the past year, coming together as a community has been physically impossible- the only alternative is to connect virtually through social media and video calls. Our social sustainability could have diminished. However, we still found ways to connect. We created virtual exhibitions, held conferences online, hosted social media parties. I think it is fair to say our tech skills have never been so advanced- and neither has our deep need for human interaction. My hope for the Alone, Together virtual exhibition is to create a space to develop a community safely online. I encourage you to have your say. Leave comments, interact with posts- even create your own. If you agree with somebody- tell them! And if not, politely state your own opinions. Remember, everyone's thoughts, feelings and experiences are valid- we should hear out all voices. I aim for this space to influence social sustainability, strengthening it, and allowing us to meet new people and make new friends through these shared experiences. In the future, I hope to host more events on this platform, and I would love to see you all engage with the resources available. Below is a list of questions to consider. Perhaps, you can use them as conversation starters at home to discuss your experiences with your family. Maybe message your friends and ask them what they think, or even write your responses to them below. I'd love to hear what you all think. I will be sure to respond to all of your comments! Do you feel your opinion or outlook on the community has changed in the past year? If so, how? What are your key takeaways from this experience? If you could travel back to this time last year- what piece of advice would you give yourself? Do you feel more empathetic to the experiences of others? Do you believe a creative online community could be beneficial throughout difficult times such as lockdown? How would you like to engage with sites such as these- what would you like to be available to you? What type of events would you like to see in the future? Please find below a list of resources to look at regarding Social Sustainability and communities: Circular Ecology. n.d. Sustainability and Sustainable Development - Circular Ecology. [online] Available at: <https://circularecology.com/sustainability-and-sustainable-development.html> [Accessed 17 April 2021]. Social Value UK. 2021. Social Value UK - Social Value UK. [online] Available at: <https://socialvalueuk.org/> [Accessed 17 April 2021]. Clarabut, J., 2020. The Importance of Community | Wellbeing People. [online] Wellbeing People. Available at: <https://www.wellbeingpeople.com/2020/07/23/the-importance-of-a-community/> [Accessed 17 April 2021]. Ikedacenter.org. 2021. What Is Community, and Why Is It Important? | The Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning & Dialogue | Cambridge, MA. [online] Available at: <https://www.ikedacenter.org/thinkers-themes/themes/community/what-is-community-responses> [Accessed 17 April 2021]. Dembling, S., 2015. Why Even Introverts Need Community. [online] Psychology Today. Available at: <https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-introverts-corner/201502/why-even-introverts-need-community> [Accessed 17 April 2021]. Shannon Skye Robinson Saturday 17th April 2021

As a student studying both a BA and an MA during the pandemic, I was extremely aware of the isolation Covid-19 had caused. Being hours away from family, knowing they aren't just down the road was difficult at times. But I knew I was not the only person going through this. I was not the only person feeling lonely. That this pain was being felt by people worldwide. It was at this moment that I didn't feel so alone- because although I felt lonely at times, I knew this feeling was shared. In a strange way, our worldwide loneliness unified us. The 'Alone, Together' virtual exhibition was planned, designed and created to encapsulate this concept and this unusual period of time. I aimed for the exhibition to almost become a time capsule, documenting the thoughts, feelings and experiences of the public throughout lockdown and the pandemic. As a curator, I knew this project had the potential to be a creative outlet for so many and to be something for people to look forward to. An event that anyone can be part of while remaining safe at home. However, this exhibition is different from a typical art exhibition; and that is because I did not want just artists to take part- I wanted this experience to be available to anyone and everyone. I am passionate about community and representation and these are themes I embodied throughout this project. As I mentioned above, we have all journeyed through the pandemic together and it has affected each and every one of us. No matter your age, your background, your gender identity, your race, where you are from- we are completely unified in this experience. Therefore, I found it only right that anyone can take part, submit artwork and be exhibited in a democratic exhibition (something which can be quite rare to find in an often elitist art world). Taking part was simple; all I asked the public to do was to make something- anything they like! As long as it represented a thought, feeling or emotion they felt during lockdown and the pandemic. The medium, topic and scale were completely up to them. After three months worth of submissions, research, planning, sketching, collaging, contacting, designing and finalising- I am so happy to say that the exhibition is finally here! I am overwhelmed by the support this project has received from so many individuals, groups and organisations who have given publicity for the project and all of the wonderful artists who are exhibited. I am extremely grateful and humbled that you are here viewing the exhibition. No matter where you are, whether you have taken part or not, you have made it through one of the most difficult years in our lifetime. This exhibition is for you. Thank you so much for being here. This has been an incredible project to work on, and I hope to create another exhibition in the near future, please do get in touch and let me know if that is something you would like to see! Remember, we may currently be alone, but we are Alone, Together. Until next time... Shannon Skye Robinson Friday 9th April 2021