This summer, An Tobar and Mull Theatre will present Life With Water, a new group exhibition created in collaboration with the Society of Scottish Artists (SSA).
Running from Monday 18 August to Friday 24 October 2025, the exhibition brings together artists from across Scotland and beyond to reflect on the ocean as both subject and setting.
Set on the Isle of Mull, where land and sea are in constant dialogue, Life With Water explores the complex relationship between people and the marine environment.
Through painting, sculpture, installation, digital media and interdisciplinary works, the exhibition considers the ocean as a site of memory, motion, conflict and change.
Informed by the UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water, the exhibition addresses urgent environmental issues including climate change, ecological loss and human impact on marine ecosystems.
Frank To, Co-President of SSA, said:
“We are pleased to have this opportunity to showcase the SSA members’ interpretations of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water. This exhibition at An Tobar will demonstrate not only the artistic merit of our professional members, but our overall dedication to showcase socially engaging and environmental issues which are current in today’s society.”
Located in Tobermory, An Tobar has long served as a cultural hub for Mull, and this exhibition continues its commitment to presenting contemporary work that speaks to both local and global themes.
Life With Water also highlights the role of the arts in fostering environmental awareness and promoting sustainable practices.
Calum Hall, Head of Visual Arts, commented:
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be curating Life With Water with the Society of Scottish Artists. This exhibition feels like a beautifully integrated and thoughtful origin story — one that brings together community, global ideas, and artistic expression in a way that’s both deeply grounded and wonderfully expansive. What excites me is the ethical framework underpinning the show — rooted in UN Sustainability Goal 14: Life Below Water. It’s a foundation that invites reflection on everything from marine biodiversity and islander experiences to global trade routes, myths, memory, and the metaphysical. There’s huge creative scope here — the theme invites rather than confines.”
Running alongside the main exhibition is 30 x 30, an online show and shop open to SSA Professional, Artist, Graduate and Student members, offering an additional platform for engagement.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
