Year 11 Creative Media students from 14-16 College have joined forces with The Critical Fish to produce 'Blue Green Zine' - a powerful art and media project that marries creativity with environmental consciousness.

The official launch event for the 'Blue Green Zine' will be held at HARI (Hull Artist Research Initiative) located at 47 King Edwards Street Hull, HU1 3RW. The event will span two days, starting on Saturday 7th October and concluding on Sunday 8th October opening its doors to the public at 11am and closing at 4pm on both days.

The driving force behind the 'Blue Green Zine' project was twofold: to educate students about the pressing issue of the climate crisis and to encourage them to become stewards of Hull's blue and green spaces.

The project commenced with students immersing themselves in the natural beauty of Hull's environment. They explored the city's gardens, strolled along rivers, and gazed at the marina's waters. These experiences served as the foundation for their artistic expressions, which spanned photography, poetry, and short films. Through their work, they passionately conveyed the urgent need for environmental preservation.

A central theme of this project was collaboration, with students wholeheartedly embracing it. They worked together to brainstorm ideas, provide constructive critiques, and ultimately created a body of art and media that forms a cohesive narrative about our environment.

Georgina Turner and Lizzie Tiernan, teachers at 14-16 College, expressed their excitement about the upcoming launch event, saying: “Reflecting on the journey through the project with The Critical Fish, we are filled with a profound sense of gratitude and accomplishment. This endeavour has been an enlightening and transformative experience, not only for our students but for all the teachers involved as well, and we can’t wait to show off the outstanding work produced by our talented creative media students at the special event at HARI this weekend.

“When we embarked on this project, our goal was not only to educate our students but also to inspire them to become stewards of our environment. We recognised that the students at 14-16 needed to engage in the challenging topic of climate crisis and the impact it has and will continue to have.

“Working with The Critical Fish showed our students that their learning in the classroom has purpose, following a production process to produce authentic work, in a published magazine and showcase exhibition. Seeing their work published and shared with a wider audience will be a source of immense pride for everyone involved. It will help them to realise that their voices matter and that their creative efforts can inspire change.

“On behalf of everyone at 14-16 College, I would like to express our heartfelt thanks to the team at The Critical Fish for providing a platform for our students' voices. Together, we have taken a step toward fostering a more sustainable and harmonious coexistence with nature.”

Jill Howitt, Lauren Saunders, and Thomas Robinson, Editors at The Critical Fish, who worked alongside the students on the project, added: “The Blue Green Zine showcases some fantastic work produced by Creative Media students and celebrates a collaboration between ‘The Critical Fish’ (a visual arts magazine based in Hull) and the 14-16 College. We are keen to involve young people at ‘The Critical Fish’ - so we were delighted to be invited to work alongside these students - with the aim of providing professional experience and the opportunity to have their work published.

“Together we investigated the theme of Our Environment. We encouraged the students to explore local and favourite green and blue spaces in the context of climate crisis. We asked them to respond creatively to raise awareness of environmental issues and to express their hopes and fears for the future. Art and writing can connect us to places and create a sense of belonging and care.

“We were so impressed by the degree of experimentation and range of media techniques and processes they tried out. There is a lovely spirit of playfulness and investigation running through the work - ‘what ifs’ - seeing what happens if you use words, colours, or materials in different and unexpected ways - imagining how the future could be different.

“We would like to say a big thank you to Lizzie and Georgina, who are the most amazing teachers. But the biggest thank-you goes to the students for their creativity, imagination, and energy. We wish them all the best in the second year of their course. We hope they continue to write, draw, make images, express their opinions, and be involved with nature - in ways that are meaningful to them. This is the 4th print issue of ‘The Critical Fish’ and we are so glad to have this ‘student take over’ edition – and look forward to more to come.”

The 'Blue Green Zine' showcases not only the students' creativity but also their commitment to environmental awareness and action. The publication and its accompanying exhibition serve as a testament to the power of art and media in fostering change and inspiring a new generation of environmental stewards.

Join us at HARI on October 7th and 8th to witness the culmination of this extraordinary journey and to support these young artists as they unveil 'Blue Green Zine' - a creative force for a greener, more sustainable future.

The Blue Green Zine, like all Fish issues, is free whilst stocks last! It will also be available at galleries and shops across Hull and East Yorkshire.

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