Worthing Pier becomes open-air art gallery thanks to schools

The exhibition will run on Worthing pier for two years until April 2026, having launched appropriately on World Earth Day.

Nadia Chalk and Vanessa Breen are the driving force for Creative Waves. Together they designed a series of workshops for young people across Adur & Worthing, working in partnership with schools and charities. The schools were North Lancing Primary, Sompting Primary, West Park CE Primary. Whytemead Primary and Chesswood Junior. The charities were Aspens and the Michael Aldrich Foundation. The result is an exhibition on the pier focusing on our natural world.

Vanessa said: “We went into schools and worked with local charities doing different workshops, pop-up workshops and each school had its own theme like bees or marine life. There were nine different themes and so we had a real variety of pictures about the natural world. It was really quite educational as well as artistic. The children were sharing their views about the natural world. For marine life we had quite a few pictures that were to do with pollution. The children are really observant and a lot of them know a lot more than you would think.”

Inevitably it wasn't possible to include every single illustration but Nadia and Vanessa did include one from everyone who took part, a total of 107 children ranging in age from six to 18.

“It's incredible. It's a lot of different work and the characters that the children have come up with have been great. They have put their own take on animals and flowers and they have produced something really brilliant.”

Nadia explained: “Vanessa and I have been working together since 2011. We barely knew each other but we quickly realised that we had a similar work ethos and that we are inspired by very similar things and we both like to have a laugh while we're doing it. The focal point is education but creative education.

"It's also about improving our public spaces along the way. It is about injecting creativity into our community because that's how you get a happy community. If people are involved with the public spaces then they will be happier. If they are involved, then they will be proud of the public spaces. And it's been lovely to work with so many children.

And there is an animation element to the project on the way.

“Creative Waves’ Art in Motion project, supported using public funding by Arts Council England, will add another dimension to the exhibition with a selection of the young people's illustrations brought to life by local animator Sam Harper-Holding.

"The animations will be launched digitally on our website at the end of May. Links to the digital animations will be accessible on display boards in six public parks and Worthing library.”