A Future Archaeology
August 2026
Supported by the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, Towner has provided creative artist-led activities exploring environmentally-friendly processes and materials including cyanotypes, clay, natural dyes, markmaking and collaborative installations.
Artist Laura Ribbons was invited to explore Towner's heritage collection through the programme. Laura drew from her practice and interests to focus on "Ocean / Landscapes / Towns". As well as introducing children and young people to new creative practices, participants were offered the opportunity to handle objects from the collection including fossils, geodes, maps, photographs and postcards in the collection.
Towner hosted four open and two SEN (Special Educational Needs) sessions across the summer break, inviting over 100 young people to take over our studio space. Across the late August bank holiday, the public where invited to view and add to the installation.
Laura was supported in delivery by Towner's Learning team and artists with an interest and understanding in accessible practice, providing 1-1 support for young people where required. Sessions were supported by Anne-Marie Watson, Sam Ayre, Laharee Mitra and Towner’s Learning team.
Find out about our past HAF projects Sewing the Seed (2022), A World We Can Live In (2024) and Tide Tables (2025)
These activities are supported and funded by the HAF Programme (East Sussex County Council) through the Department of Education.
Photos by Cameron Brown
About the artist
Laura Ribbons (b.1990) is an artist, facilitator and environmentalist.
As a socially-engaged practitioner, Ribbons explores our evolving relationship to plants and landscape within the wider context of the climate crisis. She is inspired by the idea that art has the power to start difficult conversations, while simultaneously bringing people together and creating space for experimentation and play.
Her solo exhibition and community project Plants Make Places at Hastings Museum & Art Gallery (2025 -2026), successfully secured Arts Council lottery funding and explored how plants shape our sense of place, identity and belonging. The project encompassed collaborations with community groups from across Hastings. At the core of her practice, Laura believes that art has the power to transform people’s lives and that it should be accessible to all.
Laura Ribbons (@laura.ribbons) • Instagram photos and videos
