Port to Port

Port to Port Short Film

Discover Port to Port art installation by Sophie Giller by clicking the link below!

With thanks to Arts Council England, Suffolk County Council and Other Brothers Studio Ltd.

Port to Port is an ambitious, travelling installation project by artist Sophie Giller, produced by The Art Station in collaboration with First Light Festival, SPILL Festival and Hamilton MAS. Over the last year, the artwork has travelled between two Suffolk coastal towns – Lowestoft and Ipswich, and will finish it’s journey in Felixstowe opening at Hamilton MAS on Saturday 4th September 2026 – growing and transforming at each stage.

The beautiful centrepiece of the project is a large-scale installation composed of sail-shaped patchworks. Each sail has been created through community workshops, where participants are invited to contribute personal memories, images, and favourite objects. These elements are printed, collaged, drawn, and stitched onto textiles to form richly layered and deeply personal patchwork pieces.

Rooted in the heritage of Suffolk’s port towns, Port to Port celebrates both the region’s maritime past and the collective experiences of the people who live there. Drawing on traditional crafts and storytelling, the project creates a moving visual archive of place, memory, and identity.

As the installation travels from one port to another, it will evolve to reflect the unique stories and contributions of each community – becoming a dynamic portrait of Suffolk’s coastal life and culture.

Artist Sophie Giller has led workshops in Lowestoft, Ipswich and Felixstowe in partnership with Suffolk Artlink, Suffolk Refugee Support and East Coast College; inviting community members of all ages to bring their personal history into the work through drawing, tile-painting, printing, collage, and sewing. The final sail forms have been exhibited in outdoor and indoor spaces in each port town, free and open to all.

Port To Port - Making Port at Hamilton MAS

Port to Port will be at Hamilton MAS from 4th – 26th September with a family workshop on Sunday 6th September.

For the Heritage Open Days, Port to Port will also be exhibited at Felixstowe Museum on Saturday 19th September and Landguard Fort on Sunday 20th September.

This project is generously funded by Arts Council England and Suffolk County Council.

Find out more about Hamilton MAS here