Community Exhibition at Artica Svalbard

Earlier this week we were delighted to gather at Artica Svalbard for a special exhibition of artworks created by 3rd Grade pupils from Longyearbyen Skole and Kulturskolen as part of From the Mouths of the Caves – Listening to Hear Another Island’s Song.

More than 70 people from the local community joined us over the two evenings - including teachers, pupils, and parents from Longyearbyen Primary School and Kulturskolen - creating a warm and lively atmosphere around the exhibition. The children’s artworks reflected their responses to how the landscapes of Svalbard and Iona are linked by the ocean, and we presented their work across both the outdoor and indoor spaces at Artica - creating ice screens outside the building to display their prints, drawings and animation, alongside installations inside the studio.

Through hands-on making and shared scientific knowledge about the relationships between our islands, the pupils explored their environments and reflected on their own understanding of where they live.The project connects young islanders in Svalbard with children from Iona and Mull Primary Schools in the Hebrides, Scotland, encouraging the exchange of ideas and experiences between island communities through creative practice.

We are very much looking forward to the next stage of the project and to continuing to build connections between the children of Svalbard, Iona and Mull, as their shared exploration of island life unfolds.

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Sally and Charlotte from Artica, the teachers from Longyearbyen Primary School and Kulturskolen whose generous support and enthusiasm helped make the project and event possible, and to all of the pupils who shared their thoughtful and imaginative work.