Air Pollution Art Trail

November 9th 2021

In a collaboration with local Lambeth schools, we have created an art trail celebrating clean air in pollution hotspots around the borough. Wyvil and Loughborough Primary Schools have hosted the first of these art installations, created by the children and artists, and co-ordinated by Mums For Lungs. 

Making the invisible visible

Art and air pollution are not the most common bedfellows. But the thing about air pollution is that it’s invisible, and art isn’t, so it’s a good combination if you want to draw attention to the issue. 

We wanted to highlight the importance of clean air in highly polluted areas, and to inform the local communities of what they could do to campaign to help reduce it. We worked closely with artists who created an art workshop to educate the children about the issues. On the day, each workshop was kicked off by a 10 minute presentation on the importance of clean air, by a local parent campaigner. She focused on why we need clean air as well as what causes pollution in a short, interactive talk. 

Then the fun began. We used different artists in each school, who used different materials and gave the day a completely different twist. Hannah Littlejones worked with the children to create enormous letters made from willow to spell out “Clean Air” on the fence of Loughborough Primary School. They were then decorated with various flying insects and vehicles made from plastic and metal pollution: tin cans and plastic wrappers. Wyvil Primary School worked with a calligraffiti artist, Linett Kamala who created striking yellow and black signage which read “Support Our Kids - Clean Air Matters” on a backdrop of poetry text and drawings, created by the children. 

Local community engagement

In both cases, the artworks were hung on the external fences of the schools, facing the passing traffic and parents on the school run, enabling the local community to engage with the subject. There was then a grand unveiling, when the head teacher, local press, pupils, artist and Mums for Lungs saw the art in situ for the first time. Air pollution leaflets were put in every pupil’s school bag, and the work of art was mentioned in the school’s weekly newsletter. 

Other opportunities to speak to parents were taken too, through school coffee mornings and creating a WhatsApp group of interested parents. We also took the opportunity to talk to the school leadership team about measures that could be implemented to reduce traffic and air pollution, such as School Streets. The plan is to have an ongoing relationship with the schools. This will be done by keeping them informed of other developments in the local parents networks, as well as offering resources and help when needed.

Is your school interested?

So far we have two Lambeth schools in our art trail, with a third one taking place in December. If you think your school would be interested, contact us at mumsforlungs@gmail.com and put “Air pollution art trail” in the subject line. 

You can find out more information on the Loughborough Primary School workshop here, and read about the Wyvil Primary School workshop here.