We had a very interesting talk by the Curator of the Sustain exhibition, Lilly Crowther, today. It was part of the regular Friday Focus talks that are free at the gallery on most Friday lunchtimes. The talk explained the thinking behind the new exhibition, how it started, who was involved, and some of the ideas that run through it.
The tree you can see on the middle walls was painted by Suminder Virk, a well-known local artist. She's adorned it with birds, squirrels and other small creatures. The idea is that you complete a little form in the shape of a leaf and write what you could do to help - for example walk to work or cycle, use less fast fashion, mend things - whatever you think you can do, this is the place to make a small pledge. 
Sustain: from the Past, for the Future looks at the relationship between art, heritage and sustainability, and asks us to think about what we can learn from the past as we face the environmental challenges of the future.
One of the interesting things about the exhibition is that it isn't simply about showing us examples of sustainability. It looks at how museums, galleries and heritage organisations themselves can become part of the conversation – places where we can share ideas, learn from one another and perhaps think differently about the way we live.
The exhibition explores how people in the past often lived with much less: using fewer resources, making things last, reusing materials and living more closely alongside nature. Looking back at these ways of life isn't about suggesting that we should simply return to the past, but about seeing whether some of those attitudes and practices might offer inspiration for the present.
The project also brings together ideas from a surprisingly wide range of areas. Artists, researchers, museum and heritage professionals, local communities and other organisations are all part of the wider conversation. There is a particular interest in the ways that creative practice can help us understand difficult subjects – through art, storytelling, walking, mapping, performance, objects and exhibitions.
Water testing results showing low E.coli levels in the River Leam on 2nd December 2025. Water levels are higher in the winter months and more likely to contain pollutants from sewage etc. Dr John Wilkinson and Dr Harriet Sleight from the University of York are developing accessible tools for citizen scientists to analyse water quality. They helped a group of young people to test the Leam fro Chemical and biological contaminants. The river was found to be within safe limits for swimming.
Objects themselves have an important part to play. Museum collections can tell us stories about landscapes, weather, nature and the way communities have lived over generations. They can carry memories and experiences that might otherwise be lost, giving us a connection between the past and the future.
Alongside the exhibition, there will also be a one-day event at the gallery on 18 November, bringing together PhD students, early-career researchers, emerging artists and museum and heritage practitioners. The day will explore some of these ideas in more depth, looking at how cultural organisations and creative practices can contribute to more sustainable ways of thinking and living.
The organisers are particularly interested in collaboration between artists and researchers, museums and communities, cultural organisations and local authorities, and in finding new ways of approaching the enormous environmental and social questions we are facing.
It seems fitting, really, that a museum should be a place for this kind of conversation. Museums are all about looking backwards, preserving things and remembering how people lived. But perhaps that very act of looking back can also help us think about where we go next.
Sustain: from the Past, for the Future runs at Leamington Spa Art Gallery & Museum from 25 September 2026 until 10 January 2027.
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