Blue Spaces: how & why water can make you feel better: Dr Catherine Kelly

Blue Spaces: how & why water can make you feel better: Dr Catherine Kelly, in conversation with artist Laura Callaghan

Join academic at the University of Brighton, geographer, author, and wellbeing expert Dr Catherine Kelly for a special evening talk exploring our profound connections to water — and why spending time by the sea can nourish the mind, body, and soul.

This event is part of the exhibition Sea, Sky, Salt, Soil: Art of the Sussex Coastline (15–19 October 2025: read more about the exhibition here: https://lauracallaghan.co.uk/blog/introducing-sea-sky-salt-soil-an-exhibition-of-the), celebrating the elemental beauty and shifting energies of the Sussex landscape. Drawing on her research into “blue spaces,” Catherine will share insights into the healing power of the ocean, its role in mental health and creativity, and the deep emotional relationships we form with water.

After the talk, visitors are warmly invited to stay and explore the exhibition and meet participating artists for informal conversations about their work.

This is a unique opportunity to reflect on the beauty of the Sussex coast and its impact on our wellbeing — and to connect with a community of artists, makers, and ocean-lovers in a welcoming and inspiring setting.

Spaces are limited — early booking is recommended.

About the exhibition:

This talk is part of Sea, Sky, Salt, Soil: Art of the Sussex Coastline — a mixed-media exhibition running from 15–19 October 2025 at The Crypt Gallery, Seaford. Featuring work by Laura Callaghan ( https://lauracallaghan.co.uk ) alongside regional artists Julian Warrender (jewellery), Julie Ingham (design), and Kate McMinnies (ceramics), the show explores our deepening relationship with the elemental world around us. Through art, installation and interaction, the exhibition invites reflection on how we live with — and care for — the changing coastline of Sussex.

Read more about Laura Callaghan's work here: https://lauracallaghan.co.uk

About Dr Catherine Kelly:

Dr. Catherine Kelly is a geographer with research interests in sustainability, tourism and wellbeing. Her lecturing, research and practices cross a range of these broad categories. Catherine's research areas have varied over her academic career - starting with rural geography, then moving into the field of heritage studies and then tourism (cultural, heritage, wellness and sustainable tourism specifically); with a more recent emphasis on the importance of 'blue spaces' for human wellbeing. She is interested in the importance of water-based 'therapeutic landscapes' for physical, psychological and social wellbeing. Catherine's research also looks at how wellbeing can be used to advocate for personal relationships with the coast and its stewardship/environmental conservation. She is interested in access to the sea - in physical, social and cultural terms. Since joining the School of Business and Law, Catherine is also interested in the role of the Blue Economy in tourism development and sustainable business practices. Catherine's work on Blue Spaces has received widespread media attention resulting in interviews for the BBC, Guardian newspaper, Independent, and a range of high circulation magazines and podcasts. She is a regular invited speaker at public events and festivals in the UK and overseas. She sits on the newly created UK national Blue Space Forum for the Environment Agency. Find Catherine's book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Spaces-Water-Make-Better/dp/1789562848