Towner’s newest exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to step into the shoes of people who are receiving drug treatment, and provides a unique insight into the process of recovery. Part of National Tackling Drugs Week (8 – 14 June 2009), the project was commissioned by the East Sussex Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), in association with the new Towner gallery in Eastbourne and CRI Substance Misuse Services in Eastbourne and Hastings.
The thought-provoking exhibition, entitled Moments on My Journey, documents the attempts of a group of drug service users to capture ‘a day in the life’. The work, which incorporates photography, film and audio, was produced by drug service users in partnership with Towner staff and photographer Rob Walker. The project was delivered through Towner’s award winning Outreach and Inclusion programme.
Eastbourne Borough Council Cabinet Member for Tourism, Cllr Susan Morris, said “Towner’s work and commitment in this area dates back for more than a decade. Despite significant advances, drugs continue to destroy lives and communities. We know art and creativity can play a key role in helping people toward recovery and so we were delighted to be invited by the DAAT to take part in this National Initiative. Furthemore it is an opportunity to showcase this crucial part of our work in our fantastic new gallery”.
Becky Shaw, Chair of the East Sussex Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), also commented "The 'Moments on My Journey' exhibition at Towner shows exceptional and imaginative work by people who are currently receiving drug treatment. National Tackling Drugs Week has been a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate how the huge range of organisations involved in the DAAT work together to stabilise drug users’ lives, which benefits the drug user, their families and their communities in East Sussex”.
An Eastbourne service user, who took part in the project, said “I have really enjoyed this project, it was a lot of fun. It was a great way of looking at our lives and the bigger picture of our recovery. A great opportunity”.
The exhibition runs from 9 – 14 June 2009.
