Noah`s Ark Journey

Noah’s Ark is an environmental project launched by our gallery and supported by the Barking and Dagenham Council through the NCIL fund. Our ultimate goal is to foster a worldwide movement, engaging individuals from all walks of life in the preservation of our planet. Our aim is not only to improve our own existence but also to secure a thriving future for the next generation, who may otherwise miss out on experiencing nature and witness the extinction of animal species due to the impacts of climate change.

We have meticulously developed a comprehensive 5-stage program to ensure that our efforts have a far-reaching impact, touching lives across the globe.

Stage 1- Local impact

In our quest for change, we understand the importance of beginning with oneself. To initiate this process, our attention turned to our local community, where we noticed an unfortunate abundance of waste being discarded in public spaces. Our initial approach involved creating awareness about the pressing issues our society faces and emphasizing the detrimental role of plastic in climate change. Although up-cycling and recycling are not novel concepts, many individuals fail to recognize their true impact or acknowledge the existence of a problem. By promoting consciousness and action, we strive to inspire a collective shift towards sustainable practices.

In this phase of our project, our aim was to encourage individuals to reflect not only on the impact of their actions but also on the actions themselves, to foster a greater understanding of reality. To achieve this, we collaborated with local partners and engaged residents in regular clean-up activities. Our focus was on the collection of plastic bottles, given the significant threat they pose to both our planet and our health. By actively participating in these weekly clean-up initiatives, we aimed to raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastic and inspire positive change within our community.

Over 300 local individuals actively participated in our efforts to clean the local green spaces that were plagued with plastic bottles. These bottles were then creatively painted during our weekly workshops, ultimately being incorporated into a grand-scale ARK installation. The name “arktivist” was derived from this remarkable project. Not only did the ARK pay tribute to the historical significance of our area as a prominent fishing port in the UK, but it also served as a powerful symbol and visual representation of the extensive amount of plastic waste polluting our natural spaces. The colossal ARK, constructed from over 3000 vibrantly colored bottles, celebrated the beauty and diversity of our community while simultaneously highlighting our collective impact on the environment. The initiative garnered significant attention, with over 50,000 interactions across all our social media platforms, pushing us closer to realizing our aspirations.

The initial phase of our project resonated with a diverse range of individuals, regardless of age. However, it became evident that there was still much progress to be made. While adults engaged in park clean-ups, younger people continued to discard food boxes on the streets. Pet owners also left bags of poop in green spaces, and bags and picnic leftovers were carelessly abandoned in parks. Disturbingly, we observed distressing images of wildlife falling ill due to waste, as they nested on it. Additionally, we witnessed birds tragically losing their lives after becoming ensnared in bags of garbage. These incidents were only local in nature, compelling us to redouble our efforts and effect greater change.

Second Stage - Discover New leaders

Our primary goal is to engage with the younger generation and establish meaningful partnerships with leaders in our community. To achieve this, we have taken a significant step forward by introducing our mascot, Noah, who represents the planet and serves as a source of inspiration for the upcoming generation. Instead of leading directly, Noah’s role is to encourage and empower young individuals to take initiative and emerge as leaders themselves. We have coined the term “arktivists” to refer to individuals who actively participate in safeguarding the environment and document their commendable efforts. By showcasing the work of these arktivists, we hope to inspire others to continue their exceptional work and promote a more sustainable future for generations to come.

We firmly believe that the younger generation has the capacity to tackle climate change successfully by gaining a comprehensive understanding of its underlying causes. With this in mind, we have high hopes for Noah, as we see him as a valuable advocate and a powerful asset in cultivating new collaborations and fortifying existing partnerships. By leveraging Noah’s capabilities, we aim to foster a collective effort to address this global issue. Together, we aspire to empower young individuals to become effective agents of change in combating climate change.

Third Stage-Reach out nationally

Fourth Stage- Building International Partnerships

We are excited to share that our upcoming stages and development plans will be made public as soon as we secure additional funding. For more in-depth details, we invite you to visit our “Work with Us” section on our website.

In the meantime, we would like to provide you with a glimpse of the impact we have achieved through our work. Please take a moment to browse through our collection of images and videos below, which vividly showcase our accomplishments. Thank you for your interest and support in our journey.