"Sea．Trees．People – Resonating as One" Nature Education Experience

The "Ocean.Tree.Human - Empathy" nature education experience draws inspiration from the core concept "We are nature, we are one." We are not detached observers of nature, but rather integral members who breathe and grow with the ocean and trees. Through the perspectives of creators from different generations and backgrounds, this entire learning experience reintegrates "humans" back into the natural cycle, allowing visitors, as they ascend the stairs, to feel that they have always been a part of the story between the coastline and the city.

We connect people in urban life with the ocean and trees through the works of 14 artists and nature education instructors from different generations. We invite everyone to re-experience their relationship with the environment. The exhibition brings together diverse activities such as the "Endless Fish Fun" collaborative creation, sea glass personalized souvenir creation, art exhibition, and an innovative eco-friendly IDEA Lab, inspiring participants to spark new creative ideas and diverse learning.

This concept also echoes the spirit that "Nature Play in the City" has always believed in: even in a concrete jungle, the connection between humans and nature can still be awakened through daily details — a fallen leaf, a piece of reclaimed sea glass, a memory of encountering a sea turtle — all can become entry points to relearning how to experience the world. Through playful and exploratory creative methods, the audience is not merely "observing artworks" but is invited to participate with their bodies, senses, and emotions, practicing "playing and growing with nature" anew through touch, gaze, and imagination.

This "Ocean.Tree.Human - Empathy" exhibition is the inaugural display under the "Art Staircase" project of the YMCAHK The Beacon "Arts@The Beacon" community art program. It is jointly presented by curator Helen Frog Yuen and creators and ecological educators from four generations, including adolescent students, young emerging adults, experienced adults, and seniors. Through intergenerational and cross-identity dialogues, it weaves a sensory pathway from the coast into everyday urban life.

Therefore, this is not just an experiential activity about the ocean or trees, but an invitation on "how to become a more complete self in the city." When adolescents, youths, adults, and seniors create side by side and tell stories together, they are not creating perfect techniques, but rather the space each generation is willing to reserve for one another, for the community, and for the environment. It is hoped that participants will leave with a simple yet gentle question: "If I am part of nature, how can I, together with the people and the world around me, become better today?"

This activity experience was designed and planned with the support of the local organization "Nature Play in the City Limited." The organization has long promoted nature experiences and parent-child environmental education in the community, having organized numerous workshops and small exhibitions on topics such as the ocean, biodiversity, and sustainable living in schools and public spaces. The participating creators have previously showcased their works in community events, school projects, or small art exhibitions, including ocean-themed weaving and pulp sculptures made from upcycled materials, parent-child collaborative artworks, and poetry collections. They have accumulated rich experience in interacting with children, youth, and family audiences. The design of this experience will continue to build on practices within the community, further integrating artistic creation, environmental appreciation, and community storytelling, and constructing an expansive ocean narrative on the "YMCAHK The Beacon Art Staircase."

Nature Art Education Experience Guided Tour Days

We also sincerely invite group leaders and school leaders interested in finding other learning experiences for their students and members to contact us and book a visit. Come and step into the world of nature art to explore environmental awareness, aesthetic cultivation, emotional perception, and creative expression. The experience combines diverse activities such as the "Endless Fish Fun" collaborative creation, sea glass personalized souvenir creation, and art exhibitions, inspiring participants to spark new creative ideas and diverse learning.

Organizer: YMCAHK The Beacon
Participating Organization: Nature Play in the City
Nature Art Education Experience Guided Tour Days: August 8, 2026 (Sat) 2:30-5PM / September 19, 2026 (Sat) 2:30-5PM
Location: LG Floor, Fung Shing Court, 338 Shun Ning Road, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon (YMCA The Beacon) (approx. 10 minutes walk from Cheung Sha Wan MTR Station Exit C2)
Fee: Free (Sponsored by YMCAHK The Beacon and Nature Play in the City)

Group Booking for NatureArt Education Experience

From July 27 to September 30, 2026, schools, social welfare organizations, educational centers, parent-child groups, and teacher teams are welcome to book a paid 2.5-hour "Nature Art Education Experience." The event combines self-guided and guided tours, two art and craft activities, and an "Innovative Eco-friendly IDEA Lab" session. Participants will begin by appreciating the artworks and then further connect environmental issues with community imagination through creation, discussion, and ideation. This will foster participants' creativity and collaboratively propose an "Ocean.Tree.Human Action Proposal" relevant to the local context.

This learning journey, from observation and creation to sharing, is particularly suitable for participants of different ages and backgrounds. For students, the activity cultivates observation skills, aesthetic sensibility, expressive ability, and environmental awareness; for parent-child families, it provides an interactive experience that combines learning with fun, promotes communication, and fosters co-creation; for teachers and educators, it serves as a professional learning reference integrating art education, environmental education, and values education. Participants are not just admirers of the exhibition, but through artistic and action-oriented thinking, become "coastal urban dwellers in the making."

Art workshop options this year:

1.       Underwater Band: Upcycled Fish Maraca

2.       Ocean Wave Craft: Sea Glass Fridge Magnet

3.       Poetic Vest: Vest Garment Painting

4.       Traveling with Sea Turtles: My Little Storybook

5.       Beachcombing Fun: Mixed Media Canvas Creation

** We will also arrange for participants to meet and interact with the creators, providing an opportunity to directly learn from the artists about the creative concepts, material choices, and emotional memories behind their works. Through this face-to-face sharing, participants can not only deepen their understanding of the artworks but also feel how each creator responds to ocean and urban issues by drawing from their own life experiences.