The Scottish Maritime Museum on Irvine Harbourside presents an exhibition of artwork developed through a creative wellbeing project aimed at reducing isolation and strengthening connections among families of Submarine Service personnel.
The Alongside Project, which also celebrates the 125th anniversary of the creation of The Royal Navy Submarine Service, recognises that a deployment cycle affects not only serving personnel but their families.
Funded by Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) and created and delivered by Albatross Arts, the project supported individuals from the submarine community to take part in short everyday creative exercises to promote wellbeing, resilience and connect a dispersed community.
The resulting coaster designs were turned into a bespoke graphic and printed on fabric at the Glasgow School of Art’s Centre for Advanced Textiles.
Two banners were then created and these now hang in the Museum’s new Community Gallery in the Boatshop. The banners are complemented by a case displaying a selection of original drawings created by submariners, their children, parents, partners, siblings, extended family and friends from across the UK.
Also on display in the Linthouse is ‘Ebb & Flow’, a largescale paper display inspired by ‘family-grams’, the short, one way messages sent to Service personnel whilst on deployment.
The design, created by the submarine community, is presented in long strips, mirroring how messages are received by personnel. The messages in the artwork gradually become more widely spaced reflecting the passage of time spent apart and making space for words and emotions left unexpressed.
Visitors, staff and volunteers at the Scottish Maritime Museum can also design their own coaster in response to the artwork. These new pieces will be added to the display, extending the collaborative Alongside artwork.
Announcing the opening of Alongside, Claire Jones, Learning, Engagement and Volunteer Manager at the Scottish Maritime Museum, says:
“We were delighted to offer the Scottish Maritime Museum as an exhibition home for Alongside. This project with Submarine Service families fits very well with our continuing focus on health and wellbeing and our new Community Gallery is the ideal space to showcase it.
Alongside is also a great addition to our year-round exhibitions and events programme. We’re particularly pleased that it also includes a further collaborative element, giving our visitors the opportunity to design and add their own circular drawings to an extension of the work.”
Lara Van de Peer of Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity adds:
“Supporting Submarine Service families during deployment requires understanding, innovation and a community-first approach. With strong engagement and overwhelmingly positive feedback, Alongside demonstrates the power of creativity in supporting wellbeing and strengthening connections across the Submarine Service community.
Through funding projects like Alongside, RNRMC continues to ensure that those who serve – and the families who stand beside them – feel supported at every stage of deployment.”
Alex McEwan, Founder & Creative Director of Albatross Arts, concludes:
“Connecting people is what we are all about and it has been a privilege to work with this extraordinary community, their commitment and enthusiasm has been a source of great inspiration. We hope that the resulting exhibition will enable people to reflect on their own creativity and how it might be used to improve their own wellbeing, no matter how challenging the circumstances.”
Royal Navy & Royal Marines Charity (RNRMC) supports the whole naval family, including submariners and their families, through dedicated welfare funds such as The Submarine Family. This provides access to mental health support, financial assistance and funding for team-building activities, helping the submarine community stay connected and supported.
Albatross Arts is a Scottish social enterprise formed in 2022 to address the growing need for quality arts and wellbeing projects addressing societal challenges. The team supports communities to nurture cultures of connectedness and foster collective wellbeing.
