Earthfest 2025 Programme
Reimagine Canals: On the Water, with Water, Dream the Water
7- 8 June 2025 | Boat Jena, Kings Cross, London
Workshop • Watercolour • Wellbeing • Drop in
Project Overview
As part of Earthfest 2025 and the King’s Cross Canal-side Activation Programme, Canal & River Trust collaborated with Canal Dream CIC to deliver a peaceful community watercolour session aboard CRT’s community boat Jena in King’s Cross.
This immersive activity invited participants to slow down and reflect on their connection with nature through watercolour painting, gentle music, and shared time on the water. Guided by artists, members of the local community created postcards inspired by imagined canals, plants, and animals — blending creativity with ecological awareness.
Titled On the Water, with Water, Dream the Water, the session offered a calm and inclusive space for expression, care, and environmental engagement within the spirit of Earthfest.
Highlights
Before: Setting the Scene
A behind-the-scenes look at our setup — materials, space, and anticipation.
During: A Dream in Progress
Moments of quiet focus, creativity, and connection on the water.
After: Ripples of the Dream
Postcard artworks and reflections from the session.
Acknowledgments
Partnership:
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Canal & River Trust
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Canal Dream CIC
Project Management:
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CRT: Eashani Haria & Mike Wakeford
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CD: Chuntian Hu
Volunteer Artists: Chuntian Hu, Yuanping, Sijia, Manyu, and Little Aardwolf (Jiaqi Cai)
Photo by: Adam Zhu, Yuanping