An exploration of environmental sentiment from coastal communities in Scotland

LAND, a cry from a crow’s nest. LAND, where a ship’s journey begins and ends. LAND, where we live, shelter and where we grow our food.

The LAND project provides an opportunity to join a voyage of discovery centred around the majestic tall ships, La Malouine and The Lady of Avenel. Taking steps away from terra firma we invite you to express and signal your sentiments around land use, food production and climate change as you journey through imagination, celebration, hospitality and making.

Above: The LAND 2021 event at Palnackie. Image credits: Keith Kirk for Dumfries and Galloway Life, Ted Leeming, Jo Hodges 

What is it? 

La Malouine, an 80ft LOD. Brigantine is travelling around Solway ports  during late 2021 and 2022 with local artists hosting a series of workshops for communities to design and make novel maritime flags. Flags are a traditional way of signalling at sea and these community made flags from upcycled fabric are designed to express and signal environmental concerns and future hopes and, when flown all together on the tallship, will carry a spectacular and powerful environmental message.

As we journey along the coast, flags are gathered for event days. A 'Dressing of the Ship’ celebration where the flags are hoisted into the ship's rigging, with a participatory food and art event with live music on the quayside. 

The first event day was in Palnackie in October '21 where flags made in Palnackie, Dalbeattie and Auchencairn were flown on board the tall ship, La Malouine and then the flags travelled to the Landing Hub during COP26 in Glasgow as a message from Dumfries and Galloway to world leaders. For 2022 we held workshops in Dumfries, Kirkcudbright and Annan, we were at Nithraid Dumfries, Annan Bell Raid, Kirkcudbright Art & Craft Trail, and The Dandelion Festival in Forres. The flags flew along the suspension bridge in Dumfries and were paraded around Annan before being hoised onto the tall ship La Malouine. They flew in Kirckudbrights Moat Brae and onboard The Lady of Avenel at The Findhorn Bay Arts Festival in Buckie . For 2023 LAND is in Gatehouse of Fleet, Whithorn, Port Logan and Stranraer, with the flags flying around Stranraer harbour during Spring Fling 26-29th May

More information on the International Code of Signals HERE

Above: The LAND flags flying in Glasgow during COP26

LAND is supported by EcoArt, DG Unlimited, Dumfries and Galloway Council, The Holywood Trust., Climate Fringe and Localgiving. LAND partners with Nithraid, Annan Harbour Action Group and Findhorn Bay Arts.