Encyclopedia of Us.

2018 - ongoing

The Encyclopedia of Us (EofUs) is the overarching title of a long-term collaboration that has developed with the HU3/ Docklands communities of West Hull, myself and arts company Three Ways East. Collectively we make visible and holds safe HU3’s many stories, while working alongside its communities to imagine and shape the future.

EofUs is a giant co-production and involves residents, artists, groups, businesses and organisations. Our ambition is to create congenial spaces in place, in print, in person. Outcomes include:

Newspaper Encyclopedia of Us which features the You Can’s we develop alongside locals
Portrait project We believe in love not luck with Tony Ward
HU3 Come to Tea festival
Flower Club with Tommy the florist at Rayners Pub
HuFree Galley on the top floor of the local library which showcases local and international photography and film based work.
Awards from Heritage Lottery and Historic England in 2025 are enabling us to explore the areas important gay and drag performance scene of the 80s and 90s, through a project we are calling Scene but not heard.

Our approach is purposefully a patient. We recognise that HU3 has been neglected and overlooked and that when it has had attention it has been ‘done to’. We also know that community-led is a complex idea, with no one size fits all answer. When first invited to HU3, in 2018, we were told by residents that this is a place with little self-esteem and little confidence, yet we could see remarkable people, doing remarkable things. However they were largely invisible, overlooked from both inside and outside. We aim to uncover these strengths and build on them where we can.

EofUs Newspaper is released yearly, is printed in an edition of four thousand. With each issue distrubuted via community organisations, residents and contributors. It is designed by Paper Rhino and Hu3 residents.
Issue 5 was released in July 2025
Issue 4 was released in July 2024 and can be read HERE
Issue 3 was released in July 2023 and can be read HERE
Issue 2 was released in July 2022 and can be read HERE
Issue 1 was released in July 2021 and can be viewed HERE

Funded/Supported by:
JF Brignall Charitable Trust
Arts Council England
Hull Libraries
Hull City Council
Martime Project
CHCP Hull
Humber Museums Partnership
National Lottery Awards for all
Historic England
Heritgage Lottery Fund

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