Jan '09:

Since 2004, Art Not Oil has aimed to encourage artists - and would-be artists - to create work that explores the damage that companies like BP and Shell are doing to the planet, and the role art can play in counteracting that damage.

It is designed in part to paint a truer portrait of an oil company than the caring image manufactured by events such as the BP Portrait Award, Shell's sponsorship of classic drama at the National Theatre, and other 'cultural activities' of the oil multinationals which also happen to divert public attention away from their actual activities. Climate chaos is set to have a catastrophic effect on all of us, while hitting the poorest hardest. The companies most responsible are profiting handsomely, yet they're still welcome it seems in many of our most prestigious public galleries and museums.

In 2007-8, our Art Not Oil and 'Shell's Wild Lie' exhibitions toured the UK as well as growing in their online galleries.

2009 will be our 6th year of operation, and will begin with the end of Shell at the National Theatre (potentially), with 'Oedipus' closing on Ogoni Day - January 4th.

The 2009 Gallery will be rip-roaring and ready to go;
We'll be launching our 2010 Art Not Oil desk diary in the autumn, (see separate press release);

The Shell Galleries will be growing inexorably;

There'll be a BP Gallery to keep it company, with any luck.

We hope you are affected by what you see here, and are able to help us speed up the process of getting Big Oil kicked out of High Culture. If you have any queries, or would like to get involved, whether submitting artwork, hosting an exhibition,doing publicity or getting involved with many other tasks that need doing to highlight the actions we need to take to combat climate chaos and social injustice, then...

Art Not Oil is a project of Rising Tide UK.

Please contact us on: 07709 545116.

or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

or write to us at c/o 62 Fieldgate Street, London E1 1ES.