Leaping salmon, speckled trout, eels and caddisflies are just some of the 24 amazing river creatures that have been beautifully crafted by nearly 500 participants in schools and art workshops this summer, as part of Emerald Ant’s latest arts project ‘Bubbles and Squeaks’.
These wonderful creations will form a swirling parade, winding its way along the riverbanks in Cerne Abbas on 26 September and Nettlecombe on 17 October. Everyone is welcome to join Emerald Ant at these events: the first a colourful, carnival-vibe daytime spectacle; the second a superbly atmospheric, lantern-lit evening procession, ending with a dramatic fire sculpture finale.
Schools have worked with artists to create a choreographed, musical body of river creatures that will be paraded at these processional events: Kingfishers, heron, mayfly and crowfoot, trout and salmon, and coming up at the back, a ‘March of the Beavers’, will bear placards encouraging action by all to protect their collective homes.
Both events are free, family-friendly and will celebrate the diversity of life found in our local chalk streams and rivers and help shine a light on the threats that they face.
Working with Dorset Wildlife Trust’s ‘Water for Wildlife’ campaign, Emerald Ant have been engaging with local communities, bringing stories around the rivers Cerne, Hooke, Frome and Mangerton Brooke to life through informed and inspiring ecologist-led school visits to the rivers, allowing children to witness and understand the threats facing their rivers first-hand.
Sarah Butterworth, Emerald Ant’s Creative Director, said:
“In Dorset we are lucky to have some of the world’s rarest and most precious waterways. Emerald Ant is thrilled to be using art to engage and inspire children as environmental stewards who will look after them. Given this long hot summer, and the challenges of flooding and pollution, if feels there is no better time to be doing this. The events will be inspirational, unique and spectacular, a great day out, that we hope will inspire similar endeavours across the county. Thank you to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and others that have supported us.”
Dorset Council, Dorset National Landscape, Dorchester Town Council, the Fine Family Foundation and the Mansel-Pleydel Trust have also provided funding to collectively support this educational and environmentally significant project.
