This Saturday saw the grand finale of Closing the Loop bringing together the artists, activists, mayors, and makers of Dover to celebrate a free ten-week training programme from Future Foundry. Local young people aged 16 ไปยัง 30 were offered the opportunity to engage with numerous industrial and studio visits to see how individuals and businesses are responding to our current climate crisis, while having access to materials, tools, support and free studio spaces in the heart of Dover.
Closing The Loop participants presented their final projects, with an incredibly diverse selection of artistic endeavours that engage with environmental issues. As fast fashion is one of the biggest climate change offenders, there were many creative solutions; from a bridal dress made from orange pulp fabric and an outfit made entirely from tents discarded at festivals, to natural dyes and clever cutting patterns that eliminated waste entirely. Elsewhere an Ikea cupboard was upcycled into a church pew style bench, a kitchen offered natural foraged foods, photographs were developed using spinach, inks were made from local plants and a new slow biking club was set up.
Climate anxiety was addressed with a conversation emporium and calming spaces to reflect in. Attendees of the Closing the Loop event also had the opportunity to try their hand at making recycled paper from pulp, cook flowers and natural ingredients into their own inks and use a coffee based solution to screenprint.
There was a passionate speech from Ellie Purvis, a young bio-materials scientist urging us all to think about how much we all consume and where things come from and Councillor Kevin Mills, Leader of Dover District Council offered his enthusiastic support for the work of Future Foundry and help to develop the participants projects. Dover Mayor Susan Jones gave a speech, saying “This is the foundation for a future where Dover thrives not at the expense of the environment, but in harmony with it.”
The Closing the Loop exhibition will run until Saturday 18วันที่ May at the Future Foundry Project Space, upstairs at the Charlton Centre, โดเวอร์.
Closing The Loop is an annual programme that will continue for the next three years and anyone inspired to apply for the next year or get involved and support this year’s projects is welcome to get in touch via the email office@futurefoundry.org.uk.
The ten-week programme included visits and talks by Elvis & Kresse, ท่าเรือโดเวอร์, Wetwheels, Sweeep Kuusakoski recycling plant, Harun Morrison, Graham Burnett and The Pines Calyx at St Margaret’s Bay.
Future Foundry established the Closing the Loop programme in 2018. The project has been supported by Arts Council England, National Lottery Community Fund and the Colyer Fergusson Charitable Trust.
For selection of hi res imagery from the event, interview requests and any further information, please email office@futurefoundry.org.uk, เยี่ยม futurefoundry.org.uk or social media @future_foundry
