On Tuesday 24^th September, David Buckland, Cape Farewell Founder and International Director, was welcomed to Francis Holland School for the launch of the Creative Perspectives on Climate Change: A year long collaboration between Cape Farewell and Francis Holland School, Sloane Square, London.

In three assemblies in St Mary’s Church, Sloane Square, David Buckland spoke to the students about The Climate Challenge, Cape Farewell’s history, the expeditions and the artists and scientists that we have worked with over the past 20 years.

For the whole of the academic year 2024 – 2025, Francis Holland School, Sloane Square, will be hosting the exhibition of artists’ work. The pieces have been woven throughout the school; going up the main stairway, outside in the playground, in the sixth form centre, the Old School House and more. There are artworks from Sir Antony Gormley, Siobhan Davies, Dame Rachel Whiteread, Ian McEwan, Helen Moore, Michael Pinsky, Chris Drury, and more.

Francis Holland Head, Alexandra Haydon, thanked David Buckland for his hugely inspirational discussion. She described how, through Creative Perspectives, our Heads of Art, Geography, Science, English and other departments will work with Cape Farewell experts to deliver climate focused labs and workshops based on the different artworks, underlining that the climate crisis is a cultural challenge that affects all sections of society. She challenged our pupils to really explore and engage with the artworks which are now up around school and, either through the workshops or their own ideas, to produce their own unique creative perspectives that have the power touch others and inspire them to think differently.

“Real world problem solving requires deep understanding of the problem at hand. The challenge to understand climate change, to educate ourselves about climate change, to reduce climate challenge is not just a political problem, or a scientific problem – it cuts across every subject that we study at FHS – literature, arts, maths, geography, history. The purpose of the project is to get all the girls involved and thinking – really thinking deeply – and producing their own work in response. This builds upon the foundations of a long held emphasis on creative thinking, problem-solving and innovation at Francis Holland.”

FHS Head, Alexandra Haydon, September 2024

In May 2025, the project will culminate in a combined exhibition, curated by the pupils, of the beautiful interdisciplinary work that our pupils and visiting students from other schools have produced in response to the project, alongside the professional work from the core exhibition.