Visitors to Weymouth seafront are being encouraged to think differently about marine litter, thanks to a creative community project involving Coastland College students and local primary school children.
Working in partnership with Weymouth Town Council, the College’s Art Department created a series of vibrant Ocean Landscapes banners using discarded inflatable beach toys collected by the Weymouth & Portland Marine Litter Project. The colourful artworks are now on display along the promenade, opposite the former Marks & Spencer store, helping to spark conversations about recycling, sustainability and protecting our coastline.
The project was created during Coastland College’s Primary College event, where local Year 6 pupils worked alongside the College’s Art Department to transform waste materials into eye-catching pieces of public art.
The banners form part of a wider initiative led by Weymouth Town Council to highlight the impact of beach litter. Alongside Coastland College’s installation, young people from Wey Valley Academy created Doros, an octopus sculpture made from old school books and recycled plastic bottles, while Space Youth Project produced a banner titled Catch of the Day.
People were stopping to admire the artwork and talk about the message behind it, which is exactly what we hoped the project would achieve.
Sandra Stalker, Art Lecturer at Coastland College, said:
“It has been fantastic to see the banners installed on the seafront and even better to hear the reaction from members of the public. People were stopping to admire the artwork and talk about the message behind it, which is exactly what we hoped the project would achieve.
“The banners show how materials that would otherwise end up as waste can be transformed into something creative and meaningful.
“Working with local Year 6 pupils made the project even more special, giving them the opportunity to explore environmental issues through art while creating something that the whole community can enjoy.”
Attracting interest
The project has already attracted interest from other environmental organisations, with representatives from Dorset Wildlife Trust discussing how a similar initiative could be developed at the Chesil Beach Centre.
With plenty of reclaimed materials still available, Coastland College hopes to continue creating further artworks with students as part of future sustainability and community projects.
The installation demonstrates how creativity can play an important role in raising awareness of environmental issues, encouraging residents and visitors alike to consider the impact of litter on Dorset’s beaches and marine wildlife.
The Ocean Landscapes banners can now be viewed on Weymouth seafront, where they are helping brighten the promenade while delivering an important message about caring for the local environment.
