Splanna! Raises over £380 for local charity!
This year, Splanna, Falmouth Art Gallery’s climate, art and wellbeing youth group, have been working especially hard to raise money for Voices of Water Foundation. From risograph ink printing to pottery, illustration to storytelling, and photography to diorama making, they explored a huge range of creative mediums. Each skill taught by a professional local artist or maker.
Inspired by Stories of the River Fal
In November, the group met local storyteller Will Hazell of Falmouth Uncovered in a Cemetery under the light of the full moon! Will shared his powerful stories about overfishing in the River Fal, performed by the water with accordion accompaniment! Will then coached Splanna on creating their own cautionary tales about natures lack of autonomy in the face of water pollution.
Round the campfire, the group shared their original short stories—inspired by Will’s themes—and spent the rest of the year exploring, refining, and illustrating them. These stories became the heart of their collaborative project.
Exploring Themes with Falmouth University
To deepen their understanding of the stories’ themes, Splanna met with Dr. Simon Clark, a senior lecturer in Fine Art at Falmouth University, and his students. Some of these students brought lived experiences that mirrored the characters in Splanna’s stories, allowing Splanna to better understand the impact of their work.
They also collaborated with Ruth Purdy of Make It Better CIC, who led a session on the Five Ways to Wellbeing using photography. This workshop helped them reflect on how their creativity and art contributes to mental and emotional health.
Raising Voices for the River at the Festival for the Ocean
The culmination of Splanna’s year of creativity and advocacy was two events. A Film Screening at The Library, and The Festival for the Ocean on Gylly beach. Here they set up a stall to sell baked goods and artwork. All proceeds went to Voices of Water (VoW), an organisation that gives voice to living riverscapes in Cornwall. They also promoted the upcoming film screening.
At the Film Screening, in Collaboration with 99p films, Splanna:
- Previewed their book of short stories, a collection of their illustrated tales.
- Displayed their artwork from the year, showcasing their work.
- Screened the film, Jo in the Water, thanks to 99p Films.
- Sold small pieces of artwork from a cardboard vending machine!
A Year of Impact
Splanna successfully raised over £380 for VoW Foundation! We’re really proud of their work, and look forward to seeing what the next cohort achieves.
Click here to read their book of short stories, and please explore VoW Foundations website, so you can see the incredible work they do.