New Project "Shifting Tides" to Connect Coastal Communities through Marine Ecology and Art

An ambitious new project, "Shifting Tides," aims to connect coastal communities along Carlingford Lough, spanning both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. This innovative initiative seeks to forge new connections between communities and local marine environments through a unique blend of practical ecology and collaborative creative arts.

The small-scale fishing, sustainable aquaculture, and tourism that sustain coastal communities across the island of Ireland depend on a healthy marine environment. Shifting Tides aims to empower these communities to become custodians of their thriving coastal ecosystems by fostering a deeper understanding of the intricate relationships between humans and the marine world.

"Effective climate action asks us to act locally but think globally. Shifting Tides will be developed in collaboration with impacted local communities who are the ideal candidates to take charge of positive climate intervention and marine management," commented Suzie Cahn, Coordinator of the Shifting Tides project. 

The project acknowledges the power of arts-based practices in developing meaningful connections with climate change and encouraging public engagement. Culture influences behaviours crucial for adapting to climate change, making it an essential component of the Shifting Tides initiative.

“We have assembled a multidisciplinary team with backgrounds in the arts and sciences, supported by experience in project management and communication. The team, in collaboration with The Wheel and NICVA, will initiate the project by producing site-specific performances co-developed with coastal communities. The team includes experts in ecology, zoology, scientific diving, underwater photography, filmmaking, circus performance, dance, music, printmaking, foraging, and aquatic sports,” says Suzie Cahn. 

Throughout 2024 and 2025, Shifting Tides will undertake the development of an educational outreach program, community workshops, coastal foraging, oral heritage recordings, and scientific diving. A podcast and documentary web series, along with short films incorporating arts outputs and elements of the local marine environment, will also be created.

The Shifting Tides Project will be launched on Saturday 24 February at a free Citizens Science and Marine Ecology Symposium in Rostrevor, County Down. Book your place here.

Shifting Tides is a recipient of the Creative Climate Action fund, an initiative from the Creative Ireland Programme. It is funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in collaboration with the Department of the Taoiseach. The fund supports creative, cultural and artistic projects that build awareness around climate change and empower citizens to make meaningful behavioural transformations.

For more information visit www.theshiftingtides.org.