Inchcolm Ark - Creative Climate Action in the Firth of Forth
On 9th June, more than 100 artists, volunteers and community members travelled to Inchcolm Island to take part in Inchcolm Ark - a one-off participatory artwork exploring rising sea levels, collective action and our relationship with the fragile places we inhabit.
Setting sail from South Queensferry, participants, dressed in white and wearing paper hats folded aboard the ferry, crossed the Firth of Forth towards Inchcolm Island. The weather shifted every few moments, gusts of wind giving way to bright spells that turned the sea to silver. Seals surfaced alongside the boat while seabirds wheeled overhead, their nesting chicks a reminder that this remarkable island is both a historic landmark and an active haven for wildlife.
Once on the island, participants explored the ancient halls of the abbey, gathering in its halls to sing and move together, before encircling the abbey in a collective performance, reflecting on rising sea levels, climate change and the places we hope to protect for future generations.
The performance was professionally filmed and will be developed into a short film, alongside new artwork created for the project, to be exhibited during the Edinburgh Festival 2027.
Climate change is already increasing the risk of coastal flooding across the UK, and Edinburgh is certainly no exception. Rising sea levels, combined with heavier rainfall and storm surges, are expected to put increasing pressure on our coastline, historic sites and coastal communities over the coming decades. Through creativity and shared experience, Inchcolm Ark invited participants to imagine not only what could be lost, but also the future we still have the power to shape.
A huge thank you goes to artist Colleen Thompson for conceiving and leading this inspiring project, David Faithfull for the brilliant paper hats that became part of the performance, and Hazel Terry for creating the unforgettable seagull costume.
Join the Arts & Culture Subnetwork
Inchcolm Ark is just one example of how artists and creative practitioners in Edinburgh are helping people engage with the climate and nature crisis in meaningful and accessible ways.
ECCAN’s Arts & Culture Subnetwork is a space for artists, cultural organisations, community groups and individuals working at the intersection of arts, culture and community climate action. It brings together people from across Edinburgh to share ideas, build partnerships, exchange skills and support one another in developing creative responses to the climate and nature crisis.
If you’re working in this space - or would like to be - we’d love to hear from you, email us via the link below to find out more.
This summer, the network is hosting two Artists as Advocate exhibition visits, offering an opportunity to meet others, spark new conversations and explore how art can inspire environmental action: