Rivers of the World is an international art and education project delivered in partnership with the British Council.

The two-year programme involves the pupils learning about their local river in the first year, learning about a river in another country in the second. The project encourages young people to explore and reflect on local and global issues, giving them the experience to build the skills they need for life and work in a global society.

Working with an artist or designer who has been trained by our lead artist Shona Watt, pupils learn and gather ideas that are channelled creatively into drawings, paintings, photographs and other visual media. These are transformed into a collection of large-scale works of art. The artworks are then curated and exhibited in galleries, along the River Thames walkway, schools across the UK and around the world in partner countries.

Since its creation in 2005, Rivers of the World has been delivered in thirty-five countries around the world, currently including Malawi, Kenya, Palestine, Morocco, Ethiopia, Sudan, Lebanon, Tanzania & India and across the UK in London, Reading, Hull, Southend-on-Sea, Worcestershire, Exeter, Warrington, Halton, Peterborough, Stockton-On-Tees and Coventry. Students work with artist, trained by lead artist Shona Watt, to create beautiful river-inspired artwork, which is displayed in exhibitions around the world. Explore our artists, schools, countries and work from previous years.

The Warrington schools involved in this project are Beamont Collegiate Academy, Bridgewater High School, Cardinal Newman High School, Culcheth High School and Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School, while Halton is represented by Wade Deacon High School.