As part of Folkestone Triennial 2025, artist collective Cooking Sections invites you to contribute to the UK’s first Ministry of Sewers, an ambitious new project tackling water pollution through art and public action.
Submit your sewage stories, complaints and evidence now to the Log of Grievances: Complete the form here
From Saturday 19 July to Sunday 19 October 2025, the Ministry of Sewers will open its doors in Folkestone’s old Customs House on the seafront. The temporary office is part installation, part action hub, gathering local experiences and environmental data to highlight the growing threat of sewage, stream contamination and chemical runoff along our coastline.
This unique project gives swimmers, residents, farmers and visitors a chance to have their voices heard. All stories and evidence will be added to the Ministry’s Log of Grievances, a living archive that forms the foundation for public campaigns and potential legal action. Bring water samples, images, bills or written complaints when the Ministry opens, or start now by filling in the online form.
The Ministry builds on vital contributions from community groups including Surfers Against Sewage, SOS Whitstable, Fish Legal, Sewer Rage and the Folkestone Sea Swimmers. Their input has helped shape the project’s priorities and public engagement.
Local swim instructor Kirsty Hogben explains, “Sewage pollution is having a direct impact on the health of our sea, humans and wildlife. It needs to be stopped. When the sea is polluted, it affects every part of that relationship.”
Cooking Sections describe the Ministry as a space for resistance and record-keeping. The project connects personal experience to national systems of waste and water, raising urgent questions about privatisation, accountability, and environmental justice.
This summer, you are invited to speak up. Your voice, your evidence, and your story can help drive change.
? Add your story to the Log of Grievances now: Complete the form here