Shadow Ships art project unveiled at Coronation Green in Shoreham
Released: Friday, 15 May 2026
The community came together at Coronation Green on Friday afternoon (15th May 2026) for a special unveiling event of a new public art project that shines a light on Shoreham and the River Adur's rich maritime history.
Titled Shadow Ships, the artwork by artists Dawn Parsonage and Peter Hudson from Light Space Color features metal and coloured glass silhouette sculptures of boats and ships that were built in Shoreham or have an important connection to the Adur.
At today's public launch event the artists were joined by the Shoreham residents, school children, community groups and local historians who helped with the project, as well as the RNLI and local sea shanty group The Salty Mares, who treated the gathered crowd to a performance.
The ship sculptures were created using sustainable materials including some reclaimed and recycled metal and reclaimed glass, with large parts built in West Sussex by Littlehampton Welding.
Five of the ships were chosen from a shortlist of 15 possible contenders, with over 600 residents voting for their favourites via an online poll, printed leaflet or in person at the Light up Shoreham festive event in 2025.
The sixth ship, Ship of the Future, is from the imaginations of the Year 5 children at Buckingham Park Primary School - who saw their creation for the first time at the launch event.
The sculptures are uniquely interactive - using the sun to cast coloured light and shadow on the ground, which will change during the day as the sun moves and throughout the year as the seasons shift.
The artists hope that the artwork will create both a quiet place of contemplation and space for children to use their imagination and play with the shadows.
Each ship has a QR code, which when scanned using a smartphone will play personal stories and reflections about life in Shoreham from residents, local community groups and historians.
The artists have also created a free booklet that explains how the artwork was researched and created, as well as detailing the rich history of all 15 ships and highlighting the characterful drawings created by the children from Buckingham Park Primary School.
Anyone who didn't pick up the booklet at the launch event can find limited copies at The Shoreham Centre, Shoreham Library and Marlipins Museum or read online at https://www.lightspacecolor.com/selected-work/shadow-ships
Artists Dawn Parsonage and Peter Hudson from Light Space Color, said:
“It has been a delight and privilege to work with, and for, the people of Shoreham on these Shadow Ships. From the very beginning we were fascinated by Shoreham's deep connection to the river Adur, and a rich history of ship building stretching back over 1,000 years. The fact that such huge timber ships were built right next to the modest houses of Shoreham must have been an incredible and defining sight for the town.
“We hope that Shadow Ships helps to raise Coronation Green up in its own right, and acts as an invitation to people to come and meditate on the sculptures, river and the history, or for children to play with the shadows and be excited to see them as the children grow up.”
“In short, we hope they bring joy, pride and knowledge to the people of Shoreham for years to come.”
A spokesperson from Adur District Council said:
“It has been fascinating to see this project come to life over the past few months. From learning about the varied history of the 15 ships highlighted in the public vote to the vibrant imaginations of the children at Buckingham Park Primary School, this project is a great example of how the council, community and artists can come together to create something that benefits the whole of Shoreham.”
The project was funded using just over £31,000 of Section 106 contributions from the developers behind Mariner Point, Lidl and the mixed-use development on Old Shoreham Road in the town.
To find out more about the project, including answers to some frequently asked questions, see:
Photos: The six Shadow Ships at Coronation Green, Shoreham
Photo: Project information boards about the six Shadow Ships
Photo: Year 5 children at Buckingham Park Primary School seeing the ship they helped design
Photo: The Salty Mares performing at the launch
Photo: Project artists Dawn Parsonage and Peter Hudson from Light Space Color
(PR26-042)
Page last updated: 18 May 2026