Artwork from 5,000 local schoolchildren on show at Eastbourne art gallery

Birds2BHeard, a project set up by Lady Antonia Lucas and Lord Ralph Lucas, requested students to send in their paper birds to demonstrate the desire of young people to take urgent action to curb the effects of climate change. They received an overwhelming response from 20 schools as more than 5,000 young people, all aged between four and 19, sent in their creations. The project captured the imagination of dignitaries and delegates at the 2021 COP26 Conference on Climate Change in Glasgow, and is now on show at Towner Eastbourne.

Councillor Jim Murray, climate change champion at Eastbourne Borough Council, said: “This is an international story of Eastbourne reaching out and challenging the rest of the world to do something about climate change, led by the young people of the town. I was so proud to see the birds popping up in the footage from COP26 and absolutely delighted that visitors to Towner Eastbourne now have the chance to see this inspired artwork.”

Lord Lucas, “I was on the nervous side when I pulled a flock of the birds out of my briefcase and asked if I could decorate the UK stand with them, but they were immediately welcomed there and on many other national stands. Everyone wanted to be part of hearing our children’s voices: sorting out climate change is something that we are doing for our children; what they say and think matters, and indeed is an energy-giving draught, for adults involved in the slow hard business of improving international agreements.”

Joe Hill, director CEO at Towner Eastbourne, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting Birds2BHeard at Towner and giving Eastbourne’s residents and visitors the opportunity to see a small selection of the work created by the town’s young people as part of this important initiative. We’re hugely proud of Eastbourne and of our young people’s historic and pioneering role in environmental activism and we hope that the display and the events surrounding it will provide a catalyst for more activity and discussion on these critical issues.”

Birds2BHeard is on show until Sunday (October 2).

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