Conceived during the dark days of winter lockdown this project is the passionate responses of well over a hundred different people to a part of the Forth coast that is special to them. A long storyline of enmeshed crafted memories and visions of the Forth has emerged, linking the Fife, Edinburgh and East Lothian coasts, biodiversity, people and communities.

Many people have focused on the coast’s local history and wildlife, its beauty and diversity and the many species and memories that have been and are still being lost. While frustration and anger can also be seen in many pieces about marine and intertidal pollution, there is also heartfelt hope for the future.

Each participant expressed their response to their chosen 1km of coast on a calico square and we have been utterly overwhelmed by the diversity, passion and sheer beauty of the work that has been sent in.

These videos provide a birds eye fly over view of all of the squares, placing them over Google Earth. A digital image doesn’t do the real squares justice as the quality is fantastic – but we wanted to share with everyone who can’t make our exhibitions.

We thank all of our amazing crafters who took significant time to explore, learn, reflect and capture their thoughts and feelings about their
piece of the Forth coast, it’s heritage, it’s beauty, it’s challenges, and the importance of space and nature.

We have all, perhaps, had more time to consider how crucial this is during this last year. 

 We don’t thank our crafters in the video – as the video is actually from them. What they have achieved together is incredible and way beyond our original hopes for the project. Let’s hope this beautiful art and craft work, and the videos, continue to help to get local voices heard. 

Huge thanks to Gerda Stevenson who provides wonderful songs and narrates our crafters words, bringing powerful messages about what we value, what we have lost and our hopes for the future. 

Time to make a difference.