Project Overview
Wild Wings of Hope is a project by environmental artist Ed Harrison, exploring nature-connection through participatory papercraft and storytelling.
Inspired by the annual migrations of barn swallows and swifts between Africa and the UK, the project celebrates the shared stories and wildlife that connect us across borders.
While rooted in Ed’s papercut practice, Wild Wings of Hope is inherently collaborative.
Working alongside storytellers, musicians, educators, healthcare professionals and conservation organisations, the project creates opportunities for people to connect with nature—and one another—through shared experiences.
Through workshops, exhibitions, storytelling events and creative wellbeing projects, Wild Wings of Hope explores themes of migration, belonging, resilience and hope.
Creating Connections Through
Facilitating the creation of tactile paper birds & insects — nurturing creativity, curiosity & connection through sustainable craft.
Memorable performances that bring migration & ecology to life, integrating folklore, music & papercuts as props.
Exploring the wonders of birds, insects & ecosystems through experiences that inspire learning & care for the natural world.
Hope
Creating welcoming spaces where people can reflect, connect & discover moments of belonging, creativity & hopeful action.
Project backstory
Wild Wings of Hope was conceived after the passing of artist Ed Harrison’s father, transforming personal grief into a creative exploration of interconnectedness and hope.
From childhood, Ed’s dad nurtured his love of nature and of barn swallows, which nested in the roof of their shed.
On the anniversary of his dad’s passing, the family scattered his ashes in the garden—and on that very same day, the swallows returned from migration, offering a powerful symbol of hope and renewed connection to his dad, who always found so much joy in their return.
I immersed myself in the studio, drawing and cutting paper swallows. It became a way of navigating grief.
Inspired by the return of the swallows following the loss of his father, Ed retreated to the studio and began a series of illustrations as a personal tribute.
Over time, these drawings evolved into tactile papercuts, and eventually into creative workshops where participants could craft swallows and swifts of their own.
But something was missing: the rich folklore and storytelling that has surrounded these migratory birds for centuries.
Ed began collaborating with storytellers rooted in Celtic and African traditions, bringing together craft, nature and oral storytelling in a project that echoes the ancient pathways swallows trace between Africa and the UK each year.
Collaborating With
We offer nature-inspired workshops that bring comfort, connection & creativity in sensitive environments.
We weave ecological education into our workshops to spark curiosity & inspire future generations to care for the natural world.
We connect community groups & cultural organisations with stories of nature, folklore & biodiversity.
Team-building workshops & sustainable activities that help mission-driven organisations integrate hopeful storytelling into their culture.
The Storytellers
Master folklorist Chief Gift Amu and Scottish bard Cara Silvermith joined Ed, helping to shape the project into a cross-cultural collaboration that celebrates the diversity of life and the winged creatures that know no borders.
From these connections, Wild Wings of Hope took flight.
Together, they join their voices in vibrant storytelling, weaving folklore, ecology, and drumming to spark wonder, joy, and a deeper connection with the culture and biodiversity of Scotland and Africa.
The stories we weave will be filled with a sense of hope and connection that is so vital in the world right now.
Our values
Bringing together diverse creative disciplines to weave craft, story & sound into unique & meaningful experiences.
craft
We integrate mindful making into our craft, beginning with sustainable materials as part of our commitment to the planet.
Inspired by nature (which knows no borders) we bring together diverse voices, cultures, traditions & perspectives.
We push the boundaries of interactive, nature-based storytelling by combining different creative practices, ancient & new.
