Hi, I’m Letty
I’m an artist and writer based in West Yorkshire. My work explores the universality of personal experience, which is basically the intellectual way of saying I’m interested in people, their stories and the things that connect us all. At the moment, I’m researching ways of making work to bring connection and solace to people experiencing isolation, drawing inspiration from my own experiences of living with a chronic illness.
I’m an Associate Artist with Disability Arts Online and a Fellow with Dada Fest International. In 2021 I received a Developing Your Creative Practice Grant from Arts Council England to spend 12 months building a poetry portfolio with the support of two amazing mentors. I also received an R&D funded by the Bradford Producing Hub to explore how viking traditions of narrative textiles and oral story telling can be used to radically reframe the stories we tell about multiple sclerosis.
Not to show off or anything, but I also make an excellent rhubarb trifle.
You can find me on X (Twitter) and Instagram if you fancy a chat.
Artist CV
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Commissions and Awards
2023 -
Winner of The Barbellion Prize for Literature.
2022 -
Make: Work Bursary from Bradford Producing Hub
Dada Fellows - fellowship with Dada Fest Liverpool
2021 -
Developing Your Creative Practice, Arts Council England, May 2021
Florescence – Dada Fest Liverpool May 2021
Story Telling for Artists Bursary – The Social Art Library, March 2021
2020 -
Associate Artist with Disability Arts Online March 2020 - March 2022
Make Film Grant - Bradford 2025 City of Culture Bid
You Are Standing in History, essay commissioned by Keighley Creative
RESPONSE Grant, Bradford 2025, April 2020
Dada Fest Artist Development Programme, January 2020 onwards.
2019 -
We’ve Got Joy, participatory project commissioned for We Are Bury Exhibition
Emergence Bursary, a-n The Artists Information Company, Disability Arts Online and Shape Arts
The Art House Micro-Commissions, Art House Wakefield
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Solo Exhibitions
2022 -
Anchorage - Attenborough Arts Centre Leicester October 2022 - January 2023
Dada Fest June 2022
Dada Fest Scratch November 2021
2016 -
This Is Your Inheritance, Arts@Trinity, Holy Trinity Church, Leeds
2015 -
This Is Your Inheritance, Wainsgate Chapel, Hebden Bridge
2014 -
My Minor Retrospective, Northlight Art Studios, Hebden Bridge
COLLECTIONS
Towser Zine Archive
Brooklyn Art Library
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Group Exhibitions
2019 -
MICRO COMMISSIONS, The Art House, Wakefield
2018 -
Origami Open, 20 - 21 Visual Arts Center, North Lincolnshire
Sketch That 5, HEART, Leeds
2016 -
Space & Place, Left Bank, Leeds
2015 -
Post, Leeds College of Art Post-Graduate Show, Arts@Trinity, Holy Trinity Church, Leeds
2014 -
Print Exchange, Dunham Gallery, Brooklyn, USA
2013 -
Northlight Summer Showcase, Northlight Art Studios, Hebden Bridge
Print Exchange, Graphic Arts Workshop, San Francisco, USA
2012 -
Bath School of Art & Design Degree Show, Elements Arts Space, Bath
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Talks and Panels
2020 -
Panellist, Online Panel discussing the future of disability arts, Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow
Panellist, Home2Home, artists reflect on their lockdown experiences, Disability Arts Online.
2019 -
Speaker at Emerging Artists Discussion, FLUX/US at Tate Exchange, London, March
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Workshops
2020 -
Origami Workshop for National Maritime Museum, November
Origami Workshop and Artists talk, Disability Arts Online September
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Online Activities
2020 -
Disability Arts Online Instagram Takeover, September
Bradford 2025 Social Media Takeover, 29th June - 4th July
2019 -
Disability Arts Online Instagram Takeover, November
Shape Arts Instagram Takeover, May
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Online Publications
2020 -
Why would you live here? Artists reflect on Northern life, An Interview with Verity Adriana, June 8th
A Day in a Life of an Artist: Letty McHugh, Disability Arts Online Magazine, April 27th
Disconsortia: is this group of disabled artists from the North East planning a hostile takeover? Disability Arts Online Magazine, February 18th
Venture Arts and Castlefield Gallery: ‘Thumbs Up’ to making galleries more welcoming, Disability Arts Online Magazine, February 6th,
on rose carved in rain: a reflection on who we are and who we aspire to be, Disability Arts Online Magazine, January 27th
Why would you live here? Artists reflect on Northern life, Disability Arts Online Magazine, January 22nd
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Print Publications
2017 -
Ritual Rummaging, Oh Comely Magazine, Issue 40
2016 -
Blood Sisters, Oh Comely Magazine, Issue 30
The Prodigal Artist Returns, Hebden Bridge Annual
How Hebden Bridge Are You? Hebden Bridge Annual
Positive Diagnosis, Oh Comely Magazine, 29
2015 -
I Tested Hiccup Cures So You Don’t Have to, Oh Comely Magazine, 27
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Education
2015 -
Leeds College Of Art MA Creative Practice
2012 -
Bath Spa University BA (Hons) Creative Arts (Art with Creative Writing)