About us
The Lullaby Project is a community arts initiative founded by artists Esther Rose Parkes and Susanne Kudielka in October 2022 and produced with The Moving Arts Collective. Its vision is to create a lullaby portrait of Jersey by collecting, supporting the writing of new lullabies, sharing, and performing these songs from across the island’s many cultures and communities. Rooted in collaboration, the project brings together individuals who wish to share their lullabies and be part of a community endeavour to create a living archive of lullabies.
Esther and Susanne chose lullabies as the project’s focus because of their deep cultural resonance. Lullabies have been part of human life for centuries—intimately tied to family, memory, and care. Passed down through generations, lullabies offer comfort and continuity. In the aftermath of the pandemic, when anxiety and disconnection have been so widespread, lullabies serve as a gentle tool to support wellbeing, offer rest, and build meaningful connections between people. The Lullaby Project offers a space for community building, creative exchange and emotional nourishment.
The Lullaby Project is curated and produced by artists Esther Rose Parkes and Susanne Kudielka with The Moving Arts Collective and co-commissioned by ArtHouse Jersey. It has received support from The One Foundation, Jersey Community Foundation with funds from the Channel Islands Lottery, the Connect Me Government Grant and the CIP Music Grant.
Project Timeline
The Lullaby Project runs from October 2022 to July 2025, unfolding in three interconnected phases. Supported by ArtHouse Jersey, with Phase 1 part-funded by the Connect Me: Connecting our Communities grant, the project weaves together voices from across Jersey’s diverse population to create a collective portrait of the island through lullabies.
A central highlight of the project came in November 2024 and January 2025, when the newly formed Lullaby Choir, gave four powerful and moving performances. These concerts brought the lullaby collection to life before hundreds of audience members, showcasing traditional songs and original compositions arranged especially for the choir. The performances celebrated Jersey’s cultural diversity, and the power of communal singing—and marked the beginning of a lasting community initiative, as the Lullaby Choir will continue beyond the life of the Lullaby Project.
Phase 1:
(November 2022 – January 2024)
Community Engagement & Lullaby Collection
Close to 70 lullabies were gathered from Jersey residents in 21 languages: English, German, Arabic, French, Farsi, Jèrriais, Zulu, seSotho, Russian, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Urdu, Dutch, Romansh, Vietnamese, Maori, Lakota, Italian, Swiss German, Gaelic and Bavarian. Four original lullaby-writing workshops were held. The project also featured interactive sound installations and craft activities at community events such as Children’s Day, the SCOOP Summer Fair, REAL in the Park, and the ICC’s Rebuilding Smiles event. Two memorable Lullaby Sharing Evenings at Birdsong Garden created a space for people to sing, listen, and contribute songs.
Phase 2
(February – July 2024)
Creative Transformation
14 of the the collected lullabies were arranged for choir. Six musicians - Beth Allen, Janet Swan, Carol Donaldson, Thabo Mkwananzi, Katie Rose Bennett, and Esther Rose Parkes - were commissioned to arrange lullabies from the collection - both traditional lullabies and new compositions written during the project. These arrangements honoured the emotional and cultural richness of the collection and laying the foundation for performance.
Phase 3
(September 2024 – January 2025 +)
The Lullaby Choir Formation & Rehearsal
Led by Esther Rose Parkes, the choir brought together 21 participants from across Jersey. Weekly rehearsals began in September, building both musical skill and strong community connection. This phase culminated in the November and January performances. Although the funded project ended in December 2025, the Lullaby Choir has continued into the future as an inclusive and sustainable community ensemble. It will remain a space for sharing songs, culture, and care, having been recently awarded funding for it to continue for another year from September 2025.
