Artists aiming to inspire battle against climate change
PROJECT LEADER: Hull artist Calvin Innes
Giant murals will pop up across Hull as part of an arts project aimed at helping residents be better informed about and prepared for climate change.
The Shorelines Project, a community-led arts initiative, will take place over the next 12 months as a reminder of the real risks the city faces if nothing is done.
The Environment Agency estimates sea levels could rise by 1.55 metres over the next 100 years, with potentially devastating consequences for cities like Hull, which sits predominantly below sea level.
The project is being launched by social enterprise Rights: Community: Action, and will involve internationally renowned artists, local artists, community groups and residents.
Organisers said the installations “will bring the community together to imagine a future where climate change has changed the fabric of our city”.
The murals are designed to provoke a debate around the subject of climate change, and aim to inspire people in Hull to “stand up and fight for their city’s future”.
Naomi Luhde-Thompson, chief executive at Rights: Community: Action, said: “Climate change is happening - it's now an inevitable part of our future - but as a city we are not prepared for its long-term impacts.
“More needs to be done to safeguard the city and its communities for the future. We want the Shorelines Project to act as a lasting reminder to the people of Hull that its future can be re-written if we work together to demand change.”
She added: “Art has the power to transport people to an imagined future where climate change doesn’t have to be an issue. By using art, and delivering it through a community-led engagement programme, we hope we’ll be able to empower the Hull community and give them the confidence to know that they have the collective power to tackle it head on.
“We want Hull to lead the debate on climate change. The city has the potential to become the leader in flood prevention, but only if the community raises the issue to the highest levels.
“Through our art project, we want to empower communities and make them believe that their voice is valid; it's essential in the fight against global warming.”
Hugh Ellis, policy director at the Town and Country Planning Association, which is advising the project, said: “The language and science used to explain climate change can sometimes be impenetrable to the average person, so we as a nation need to unpick it and deliver it in a way that resonates.
“We don’t think we are prepared enough for everything that comes with climate change. For people living in Hull, that involves the major impact the rising sea levels will have on the River Humber.
“If you look back to the floods of 2007 or the storm surge in 2013, both disasters were made worse by climate change. They had a devastating effect on many people in the city.
“Science is telling us that these once-in-a-lifetime experiences are happening more frequently than anticipated - and if those experiences were anything to go by, we need to be better prepared for it.
“The Shorelines Project isn’t here to scare people with worst-case scenario science, but rather be honest in its approach and highlight that the future isn’t set in stone; we as a collective, have the power to change the future.
“We want Hull to collectively find the solutions to tackle climate change head on; and what better way to do that than by imagining a future where Hull is prepared for rising sea levels.”
The campaign will be delivered by Hull creative agency, Drunk Animal, and headed by artist and creative director, Calvin Innes.
‘WE WANT PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED’: Calvin Innes
Mr Innes is designing and installing the first mural, which will appear on the side of Hull College between October 11 and 16. Named The Girl, the piece has been designed to illustrate the struggle of life underwater, featuring Hull’s iconic Minster as the backdrop.
It has been described as “haunting” and “emotive” and is intended to divide opinion, spark debate, and to encourage communities across the city to get involved in the climate change debate.
Mr Innes said: “The Shorelines murals will become permanent fixtures in communities across the city for the next ten to 20 years, so we want as many people taking part as possible.
“We encourage anyone who feels passionately about the safeguarding of their community for future generations to get in touch and become part of this city-wide art project.
It will be the biggest community arts project ever delivered in the city and we want our community to be proud of it for years to come.”
To find out more and how to get involved, visit www.theshorelinesproject.com.