Artists selected for major Sea for Yourself commission exploring belonging, identity and Plymouth’s coastal heritage

Two acclaimed artists have been selected for the second major commission in the city’s ambitious Sea for Yourself cultural programme.

Leila Gamaz, an Algerian-British artist whose counter-archiving practice celebrates untold histories, and Hanna Kubbutat-Byrne, a writer and socially engaged storyteller working across environmental and community settings, will collaborate on a new commission that will focus on place, heritage and ecology to re-build severed relationships between people and our waters.

Applications for this commission were received from across the UK as part of the four-year Sea for Yourself programme, which will use art, storytelling and digital innovation to reconnect people with the ocean.

The programme is delivered by Plymouth Culture in partnership with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England Place Partnership Fund. It will work with artists to forge a new relationship between the city, its communities and the sea.

Together, Hanna and Leila, who are both based in the South West, bring extensive experience of working in care settings, heritage environments, faith communities and social change initiatives. Their practices centre on who gets to tell stories, how narratives shape belonging, and the role creativity plays in restoring relationships between people and place.

Their Sea for Yourself commission will explore themes of cultural identity, community memory and marine citizenship. Working closely with The Box and its archives, the artists will create opportunities for people across the city to contribute to a set of interconnected physical and digital outputs that will bring together a patchwork of stories, memories and creative responses connected to Plymouth’s coastal identity.

Their collaborative approach often begins with opening up conversations and creating spaces where people feel confident to share their experiences, challenge inherited narratives and build new forms of belonging.

The artists said: “This commission feels like an opening for us to deepen our relationship with Plymouth Sound and the communities who live alongside it. Our work is rooted in place, in memory and in the ecologies that hold us, and in understanding where those connections have been strained or severed.

“We’re looking forward to exploring people’s relationship to the sea, sharing stories and perspectives that often go unheard, and understanding how the sea can shape the way we envision our shared futures.”

Leila and Hanna were selected following a competitive UK-wide process, reviewed by members of a commissioning advisory group with expertise spanning digital art, public realm commissioning, engagement, environmental practice and placemaking.

Local people were involved in selecting the artists via a community panel providing a local perspective on which commission would have the greatest impact for Plymouth people. 

Community panel member and local artist Azza Gasim said: “The selection process felt very open and collaborative. What stood out about Leila and Hanna was how clearly they explained their ideas and how thoughtfully they involved us as a community panel.

“It was easy to imagine their work being delivered in a way that would feel accessible and welcoming to people across the city. They created a safe, friendly space from the start, which made it easy for everyone to contribute. I really believe this project will bring different communities together in Plymouth, and I’m excited to support it and help share it with other community groups.”

Hannah Harris, CEO of Plymouth Culture, said: “Through a selection process strongly influenced by community participation and partners’ response to the artists’ proposal and approach, Hanna and Leila excited and inspired trust in equal measure.

“We’re delighted to be working with The Box and the artists on what will be an ambitious and important project, centring communities and their personal stories of their relationship to the sea.”

Councillor Tom Briars-Delve, Plymouth City Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, commented: “As Britain’s Ocean City, enabling residents and visitors to engage with Plymouth Sound National Marine Park is vital. We’re proud to support the Sea for Yourself programme, strengthening community connections with the Sound through art.” 

Phil Gibby, Arts Council England’s Area Director for the South West, said: “We’re proud to support the Sea for Yourself programme and the artistic talent it champions. With £750,000 in Place Partnership funding, Plymouth Culture is bringing together the city’s leading creative and scientific voices to tackle urgent questions of identity, citizenship, environmental responsibility, and wellbeing.

“Artists have a unique power to shape our sense of place and shift perspectives, and we’re excited to see each commission spark public conversations about what it means to live as a marine citizen today and in the future. We look forward to seeing each unique response come to life.”

This announcement follows the selection of internationally recognised artist David Cotterrell for the programme’s first major commission, as well as three Artists in Residence, with further opportunities for creatives to be announced as the four-year programme continues.

This programme is being led by Plymouth Culture in partnership with Plymouth City Council and Plymouth Sound National Marine Park. The programme development and delivery is supported by key partners including The Box, Real Ideas, Arts University Plymouth, University of Plymouth and Theatre Royal Plymouth. Sea for Yourself is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England Place Partnership Fund.