A new space to fight loneliness and redefine culture

An Exeter Creative Producer is helping to tackle a loneliness epidemic that’s impacting new parents with a series of innovative daytime gigs that welcome parents, carers, and their children.

This series of events was born from Lizzy Humber’s experience as a parent, where she began to feel that she wasn’t welcome in cultural spaces with her small children. 

Above: Lizzie Humber

While most events take place in the evening after children are in bed, even daytime, child-friendly activities often left her feeling isolated, as they were typically centred around the child’s experience with little focus on the parents' interests or needs.

Lizzy shared: “In a lot of child-centred spaces, you might learn all the children's names, but not the parents'; you might learn how the children slept the night before, but not about the adult’s interests, and that can feel incredibly isolating.”

Lizzy’s new Daylight Sessions are strictly geared to be entertaining and engaging for adults while still welcoming to children and babies. 

“As a parent of young children, I missed going to gigs and having conversations with adults that weren’t about whether our babies had slept. I started creating spaces for parents to be entertained and meet new friends, somewhere to go with a partner without having to arrange childcare. I incorporated simple things like having baby changing mats and toys and helped people to feel welcome and supported. It doesn’t matter if you arrive late or have to leave halfway through a Daylight Session, and you don’t have to worry about your child moving around or making noise. It can feel incredibly empowering—I want my spaces to be celebratory and uplifting. Parents are people too!”

Above: "Mothers on the Mic". Image: Hollie McNish_TempoMediaProductions

Emma Forest, a mother of three, is just one example of a parent finding relief and community in the spaces that Lizzy provides.

Emma said: “A lot of places tolerate rather than accept children, but at Lizzy’s events they’re welcome and respected. My nine-year-old is as welcome as my baby, and I appreciate being trusted to judge what my kids can and can’t handle in terms of content. I find the events so nourishing. I get to see great performers and feel seen and held in spaces that often feel out of reach.”

Amy Adkin, a parent and artist, shared similar sentiments and explained that the Daylight Sessions provided her only opportunity to access arts and culture during her maternity leave.

“One of the beautiful things is that it always seems to meet me where I am. Sometimes it’s a place to switch off and relax, which I rarely do as a mother, and other times I go for intellectual stimulation. I always come away feeling inspired and as if I’ve connected with people; I am less alone and more looked after. It’s easy to neglect doing all the things we love when we become parents. All the things that make us who we are. Going to Daylight Sessions is about feeling like myself again.”

Above: Daytime Sessions. Image: Emily Appleton

Lizzy’s next event is a comedy gig for sleep-deprived parents on November 15, headlined by award-winning comedian Jo Enright.

Lizzy explained that she hopes that these events feed into a larger mission to empower parents and creatives to start new dialogues about fulfilling their emotional needs.

She said: "As artists and creative thinkers, it’s our job to imagine and create spaces that don’t yet exist. If we don’t, politicians certainly won’t, so we must lead the way. We have to say: This is necessary; these are the benefits; and this is how we change the world.”

You can view the full schedule of Lizzy’s Daylight Sessions here.