Help us bring ‘Paula the Polar Bear’ to Margate this summer to take our Animals & Us exhibition to the streets and get everybody talking about climate change.
We want to take our summer exhibition, Animals & Us, out of the gallery and onto the beach, creating a true spectacle as 'Paula the Polar Bear' roams across Margate sands in the height of the summer season. With Margate's beach as the backdrop, Paula will surprise visitors to Margate and encourage thought-provoking conversations about how humans can co-exist with animals. Professional puppeteers will train local performers to work with Paula throughout the summer and Turner Contemporary Navigators will accompany Paula, breaking the ice with conversation starters about climate change. It will be the first - and possibly last! - time that a polar bear has been seen in Margate.
Because of ongoing and potential loss of their sea ice habitat resulting from climate change, polar bears were listed as a threatened species in the US under the Endangered Species Act in May 2008. Paula the Polar Bear is a life-sized 'puppet'. She has already travelled to Washington DC, Finland and Auckland to raise awareness of environmental issues. Paula the Polar Bear is on loan from Greenpeace UK.
As part of our campaign we have created a range of exciting rewards including exclusive products and experiences. This includes a limited-edition tote bag and print featuring an illustration created exclusively for us by Sprankenstein as well as a puppeteering workshop.
Animals & Us (25 May - 30 September 2018) is a major exhibition exploring artists' reflections on the relationship between humans and other animals. At a time when scientists are warning that humans may be causing the 6th mass extinction on earth, there has been a growth of interest across numerous disciplines in human-animal studies, including amongst contemporary artists. This exhibition is inspired by artists' imaginative, provocative and diverse explorations into our relationships with animals. How do we see other animals and how do we imagine they see us? How do we see ourselves in relation to and as animals, and how have these human-animal relations been reflected in art? Help us get these conversations started outside of the gallery.
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Five reasons to donate today!
We need your help to bring Paula the Polar Bear to Margate this summer... Read more
Thank you for your donations so far!
We have reached over 25% of our target!... Read moreMeet the artist: Sprankenstein
In this update, we speak to Margate artist Sprankenstein who has created the exclusive design for the 'Paula the Polar Bear' tote and limited edition prints... Read more
Animals & Us Q&A with Fiona Parry
Interview with Fiona Parry, curator of our upcoming exhibition Animals & Us... Read moreDeadline extended and donations to be doubled!
Our campaign has been extended for one week and all donations will now be match-funded thanks to a private donor through Art Fund... Read more
Paula is coming to Margate!
We are thrilled to announce that our crowdfunding campaign has reached 115% of its target... Read moreThank you for your support!
The campaign has now closed and thanks to all 292 funders who helped us raised £19,288 – 128% of our target! We could not have done this without you... Read more
Paula is coming to Margate: dates announced!
Thanks to your generous support, Paula the Polar Bear will be roaming the streets of Margate for five weeks on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from Thursday 26th July 2018... Read moreWith thanks to...
Jan Mulrenan
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Gary Cooper
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