Unique 'Water is Life' show
22/08/2006
Charity work attains a new dimension and is put in the picture with a unique show at the biggest gallery of its kind in the world.
The ‘Water is Life’ photography, TV and contemporary free fun show opens to the public at BALTIC next to the Gateshead Millennium Bridge across the Tyne on Friday August 25.
Thousands of visitors are expected to visit the ‘Water is Life’ show on the gallery’s first floor during BALTIC’s busiest period of the year.
The exhibition follows a fact-finding mission to the African country of Malawi organised earlier this year by Northumbrian Water on behalf of its adopted charity WaterAid.
It features photography by Gateshead resident Jayne Emsley from Manchester who works for The Journal newspaper and a film by BBC TV reporter Mark Batey from Newcastle.
It includes a fun participation game called ‘poop-la’. Ceramic toilet bowls are the targets in the fairground-style ‘poop-la’ stall where contestants earn points by throwing soft realistic poo’s into the bowls! The fun game tells the serious message of the importance of clean sanitation.
Independent international charity WaterAid works to provide clean drinking water, safe sanitation and hygiene education in Africa and Asia.
Copies of photographs on display in the exhibition, supported by Canon, are on sale to raise funds for the charity together with chilled bottled tap water, branded 97.
Reporters and photographers are invited to the exhibition which is open to the public from 10am to 6pm each day from Friday August 25 until it closes at 6pm on Tuesday August 29. Members of the media may also attend the VIP opening at 7pm on Thursday August 24.
Alistair Baker, an organiser of the mission to Malawi, said: “We can turn on the tap and pull the chain and take top quality drinking water and safe sanitation for granted. Sadly that is not the case for millions of people in the world. This exhibition raises awareness of their plight and gives us the chance to help. A child dies every 15 seconds because of disease caused by dirty water yet it costs just £15 to provide clean water and safe toilets for a person for their entire life.”
Andrew Lovett, Planning and Resources at BALTIC said: “Northumbrian Water is a long-standing supporter of BALTIC through our B.PARTNERS scheme and we are delighted to be able to work in partnership with them to support such a worthwhile cause as WaterAid.”
For further information contact Alistair Baker on 0191-301-6851 or 07711-793-493