Phase 3, Ward 12, Almost to the Moon

As part of Glasgow Life’s Creative Communities Artists in Residence Programme for Ward 12, Victoria Park, artists Jenny Olley and Lynsey Wells of In the Making Glasgow delivered Almost to the Moon, a project that explored textile waste with P6 pupils at Thornwood Primary School.

This work was delivered as part of Create 4 Glasgow, a participatory art project that built on the legacy of COP26 and gave voice to Glasgow’s young people and their environmental priorities.

The project used the fact that each person in the UK throws away an average of 9 items of clothing a year, enough, if laid end to end, to almost reach the Moon, to encourage young people to rethink their relationship with clothing.

Pupils took part in creative workshops where they designed mock outdoor advertising campaigns. Using cut-outs of buses, billboards, and shopfronts, they explored how to communicate impactful climate messages to the public. The children learned basic sewing skills, using surplus materials to explore the value of mending and recycling clothes. These sessions empowered pupils to gain hands-on experience and a stronger sense of personal agency in tackling climate change.

The campaign poster created by the children was displayed in the Anchor Lab’s window and gallery. This prompted wider community reflection on textile waste and the question, “Where do our clothes really come from?” 

A special thanks to community partners, supporters and contributors: Thornwood Primary School.