A colourful temporary art exhibition launched in Garrison is inviting residents and visitors to explore the village through the eyes of local children while learning about the importance of protecting one of the area's most precious natural assets: Lough Melvin.
The art exhibition is part of the WEST (Water Enhancements through Sustainable Treatment) project, a major cross-border initiative between NI Water and Uisce Éireann which is designed to help improve water quality in Lough Erne, Lough Melvin and Donegal Bay through sustainable wastewater treatment.
Supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), the WEST project includes sustainable upgrades to wastewater treatment works in Garrison and Belleek (County Fermanagh), Ballybay (County Monaghan), and Blacklion (County Cavan), alongside extensive environmental modelling across the wider Erne catchment.
As part of the project’s community outreach, the WEST team delivered an educational workshop at St. Martin’s Primary School. Working with local artist Michelle Duffy, the pupils created individual and collaborative artworks, now displayed across Garrison as an art trail.
The Garrison Village Art Exhibition features a large signature piece entitled “Protect Lough Melvin” at Garrison Community Hub, as well as 30 individual canvases displayed in businesses and community spaces throughout the village.
Speaking about the initiative, Mark Brownlee, NI Water Senior Project Manager and WEST Programme Lead, said: “This fantastic exhibition forms part of the community engagement supporting the construction of the new Garrison Wastewater Treatment Works, located off Dooard Road. The highly sustainable upgrade will help protect local waterways and create a cleaner environment while supporting Garrison’s future economic development.
“The pupils who took part will be among the generations to benefit from this PEACEPLUS-funded project. Through the school workshops and art activities, they learned what happens to wastewater, why environmental stewardship matters and how families can help protect local waterways. Their artwork brings those lessons to life and celebrates the distinctive environment around Lough Melvin.
“The exhibition will remain on display in Garrison until the end of October. On behalf of the WEST team, I’d like to thank St. Martin’s Primary School, the participating pupils, Michelle Duffy and the local businesses and community venues that are hosting the children’s artwork.”
Louisa Sinclair, Network Performance Manager at NI Water and WEST Modelling Project Manager, who led the educational workshops, added: “The WEST project supports the important ‘3Ps’ environmental message, which highlights that only Pee, Poo and Paper should be flushed down toilets and that anything else – including sanitary products - should be bagged and binned. During the interactive workshops, the children learned that all wipes, cotton buds and paper towels can block sewers, damage infrastructure and disrupt wastewater treatment.
“It’s encouraging to see how the children have taken these key messages and turned them into a colourful and meaningful art exhibition which will help residents and visitors alike to understand how wastewater treatment and everyday choices can affect the local environment. By turning those lessons into art, the pupils are sharing a practical message with the wider community.”
The Garrison Village Art Exhibition runs from 17 September until the end of October. Participating venues are Melvin Pharmacy, Gilroy’s Spar, T Keown Electrical, Garrison Community Hub, The Bilberry Restaurant, True Colours Hair Salon, Fermanagh Lakeland Properties, Camlake Canvas and Melvin Recreational & Resource Complex.
WEST Garrison Village Art Exhibition A3 Poster
WEST Protect Lough Melvin 400X500 Poster
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For further information, please contact press.office@niwater.com
Notes to editors:
The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a North-South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
The PEACEPLUS Programme has been designed to promote peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland and has a total value of €1.14bn.
PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Further information on the WEST project can be found at www.west-project.com