More than £1.6 million has been awarded to Plymouth to create a major four-year cultural programme designed to reconnect the people of the city with the ocean.
Plymouth Culture has been awarded the funding in partnership with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park to establish the programme, called ‘Sea for Yourself’.
It will aim to bring together the city’s cultural and natural assets to inspire meaningful change and create opportunities for people to interact with the city’s beautiful marine environment.
The funding includes £751,000 from Arts Council England and £860,000 from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and will enable the development and delivery of the four-year programme of creative digital commissions designed to reconnect residents to the ocean.
It will also benefit the creative and cultural sector in Plymouth, with opportunities for artists to develop the skills and expertise in creating art that connects with nature.
Sea for Yourself is being led by Plymouth Culture in partnership with Plymouth City Council and Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, supported by The Box, Real Ideas, Arts University Plymouth, University of Plymouth, Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Hannah Harris, CEO of Plymouth Culture, said: “‘Sea for Yourself’ represents a step change for Plymouth. It’s a bold collaboration that combines our incredible cultural assets with the natural beauty of the National Marine Park.
“By reconnecting residents with the ocean, we are creating a unique and symbiotic relationship between people and their environment while also laying the foundation for a cultural legacy that will benefit future generations – artists and residents alike.”
Hannah Harris and Plymouth Culture Chair Lindsey Hall were at the Arts Council England event at the House of Commons today to celebrate the impact of Arts Council investment and to cement its ongoing strategic investment in Plymouth.
Sea For Yourself’s four major cultural commissions will each focus on themes such as making visible the invisible, archive & heritage, immersive environments, and outdoor installations. Each year-long commission will feature an embedded community engagement programme, ensuring that local people are actively involved in shaping the projects.
These commissions will use a creative digital approach to create interactive and shared immersive experiences that bring Plymouth Sound National Marine Park to life.
By making the unseen aspects of the marine world visible, they aim to deepen the public’s connection with the environment, spark curiosity, and inspire collective stewardship of Plymouth’s unique marine heritage.
Councillor Tudor Evans, Plymouth City Council Leader said: “For over a decade, we’ve been embedding culture into Plymouth’s identity, and the ‘Sea for Yourself’ programme marks an exciting new chapter in how we harness the power of culture to bring our communities together.
“This place-based partnership includes a cutting-edge digital dimension, making the UK’s first National Marine Park and Plymouth’s cultural heritage accessible to everyone in the city. It’s another step in ensuring Plymouth takes a leading role in showing how culture can drive positive change, connect communities, and create opportunities for all.”
A Collaboration for Transformational Change
‘Sea for Yourself’ is more than just a cultural initiative—it’s about transformational change. By merging art, digital and the city’s natural heritage, the programme will foster a new relationship between residents and their marine surroundings. The focus will be on driving community engagement, creating opportunities for co-creation, and building audiences for the future.
It will also create countless opportunities for artists and creatives to work alongside ecologists, environmentalists, and technologists. This interdisciplinary approach will encourage a deeper exploration of the relationship between nature and art.
Hannah Harris added: “So many artists are already working in collaboration with environmentalists to think deeply about our relationship with the land and the sea. This initiative enables us to take that further, offering new opportunities for creatives and making Plymouth the home of high-quality, world-leading arts and nature practice.”
Legacy for Plymouth and Beyond
The use of digital technologies in ‘Sea for Yourself’ will also open up new possibilities for public engagement. By enabling people to connect with inaccessible or unseen aspects of the marine environment, the programme will expand opportunities for learning, participation, and cultural connection.
Stuart McLeod, Director of England – London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “As part of our ongoing investment in the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, we are delighted to support the Sea For Yourself project that will enable more people to interact with, and explore, the city’s marine environment.
“We know that giving people a chance to have a closer understanding and relationship to their heritage reaps many benefits, and is something we are proud to fund. Connecting local communities with their ocean heritage is integral to the success of the National Marine Park.”
Phil Gibby, Arts Council England’s Area Director for the South West, said: “I am delighted to announce a major new investment in Plymouth, made possible by National Lottery players through Arts Council England’s Place Partnership Fund. Our investment of £750,000 will help galvanise the city’s creative and scientific communities around a shared vision of marine citizenship, asking residents to think deeply about their relationship to the area’s most vital asset – the sea.
“Plymouth Culture’s application exemplifies how place-based working can pave the way for a sustainable future, both economic and environmental. With public art and digital engagement at the heart of Sea for Yourself, residents and businesses will engage with themes of identity, citizenship, environmental responsibility, health and wellbeing, building on the city’s established reputation as a hotbed of creative talent and culture. I look forward to where the next four years take us and invite Plymothians of all ages and backgrounds to join us in writing the next chapter in the city’s story.”
Plymouth Culture has appointed Rob Bowman as Senior Creative Producer for the programme. With over 20 years of experience leading large-scale public art projects and digital engagement programmes, Rob will oversee the development of the cultural commissions, ensuring they deliver both artistic excellence and meaningful community impact.
As Plymouth Culture collaborates with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, Plymouth City Council, and local organisations, ‘Sea for Yourself’ is poised to set a new benchmark for how culture and the environment can come together to inspire communities and drive meaningful change.