The free events are taking place at Plymouth’s Barbican Theatre on the evenings of Friday 23 and Saturday 24 August. The festivities are inspired by the River Plym’s life and beauty. There will be performances from local artists, the unveiling of a new art installation, a specially commissioned dance film and a play by local Playwright, Chris Swabey (performed by participants from our Adults Acting Group). We also welcome Dr. Neil Williams, who is pioneering a Rights of Nature Network in the UK and Robert Mountjoy, a local artist whose work focuses on the un-celebrated parts of the River Plym.

The celebrations are part of the River Plym Project, a partnership between Barbican Theatre Plymouth, Devon Wildlife Trust, and Plymouth Sound National Marine Park, with support from the University of Plymouth. The project has been made possible with funding from Esmée Fairbairn Foundation’s Blue Spaces programme, which supports local people to take imaginative approaches to look after the rivers, streams, lakes, ponds and wetlands where they live.

Light refreshments will be provided; other food/drinks can be purchased in-house from BBar (authentic Thai Noodle Bar) before and after the event.

Although the events are free to attend, entry is by ticket only. 

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The River Plym flows from Dartmoor, to Plymouth, and into the sea. By connecting with the people who live and work throughout its catchment, the River Plym Project, is working to encourage people to value and enjoy the nature on their doorstep, to create more space for wildlife and ultimately restore the river's health.
 

Since January 2024 the River Plym Project has worked with the catchment’s diverse communities on a unique project mixing words with artworks. The role of its team has been to run a series of meetings in which local people were able to tell them what the Plym means to their communities and their lives. At each meeting participants were also encouraged to contribute to artworks which conveyed their feelings towards the river. These unique creations will form part of the celebration evening staged by the Barbican Theatre.

One strong strand to emerge from the community meetings was support for the idea that the River Plym and its wildlife should be given a legal right to be protected from harm.

Sally Burne, Community Engagement Lead at the Barbican Theatre, said:

“One question that local people were keen to debate was, ‘who can speak up for the river and its wildlife, when it’s unable to do so itself?’ This is where local communities who know and love the river, and understand its value to biodiversity, as well as the health and wellbeing of the people who visit the river, can provide community leadership and take positive action.”

Peter Burgess is Devon Wildlife Trust’s Director of Nature Recovery. Peter said:

“Our rivers and wetlands are much more than stunning places to visit. They are the lifeblood of our treasured ecosystems and support our life on earth. As we continue to witness the many challenges our rivers face, we must explore new ways of ensuring they have a resilient future. This is a groundbreaking project which, with community support, we hope will lead rivers having rights, which will guarantee they can thrive for generations to come.”

Elaine Hayes, CEO at the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park said:

“This project is very close to my heart. Changing the way, we treat our rivers is a vital part of our efforts to restore nature.”

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