Urgent environmental messages from Sidmouth residents were turned into a piece of art as part of Sidmouth’s first Winter Lights Festival last month.
The overall title of the exhibition was SOS – Save Our Seas, and it featured 14 illuminated installations by lead artist/curator Zac Greening and other art/community groups, displayed on a trail near The Ham. All the installations were inspired by the challenges posed by climate change and aimed to encourage actions that can be taken, both individually and collectively.
An exhibit called Message in a Bottle was created by Zac Greening with children from Sidmouth Primary School, featuring recycled plastic bottles forming the letters SOS. Visitors to the event were invited to add their own messages for MPs and decision-makers to the bottles, and a total of 87 did so.
The notes, which are now being sent to local MPs, councillors, South West Water and other organisations, included:
“Please think about our planet. I want to swim in the sea with fish, not rubbish!”
”To government, pick up your rubbish from the sea! Then everyone will be happier – love Isabella (age7)”
“To our politicians, councillors and local decision makers: STOP ALLOWING SEWAGE TO POLLUTE OUR SEAS.”
“Protect Our Oceans! We want to swim in the sea without sewage. We want clean oceans! Keep the marine life safe. Whatever you’re doing is NOT ENOUGH!”
“No more poo in our sea! SOS.”
“Hope Nature Stays. Please recycle, Please reuse, Do not buy new! From George.”
Zac Greening said: “The inspiration behind this art piece was to highlight some of the pressing issues facing our seas and oceans today and to give local people an opportunity to air their feelings and concerns about the current state of our oceans.
“As the lead artist and curator of this project I have been very encouraged by how many members of the public have contributed to this installation as part of Sidmouth Winter Lights Festival February 2024, despite the weather, and taken part in 'Message in a bottle - Save our Seas’.
“It is hoped that this collection of community sentiments will inspire our politicians and decision makers to take action in preserving for future generations one of our most precious natural resources.”
Nearly 1,600 people attended the festival which took place over five nights in February during poor weather conditions including two yellow warnings for rain.
As well as the illuminated art installations, the message ‘Act Local, Think Global’ was projected onto the cliff near the Riverside Walkway.
For those who missed the festival, a film about it is available on Sidmouth School of Art Facebook and Instagram.
The Winter Lights Festival was hosted by Sidmouth School of Art and was supported by funders including Creative East Devon Fund, Sidmouth Town Council, Sidmouth Hotels, Potburys of Sidmouth and Voyage Travel Marketing and Sidmouth Chamber of Commerce, with in-kind support from Fords South West.
Louise Cole from Sidmouth School of Art said: “We were really thankful to be supported by our volunteer stewards who stood out in the wind and the rain welcoming people. We were really struck by the feedback we received by those who visited, clearly the sculptures and their environmental focus and with so much community input was really valued. Creating different kinds of opportunities to engage people with art and their own creativity is exactly what we were able to achieve with the Winter Lights Festival.”
Donations to support the festival can still be made via SSA’s website www.sidmouthart.org
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