Peat on Earth

Bogs and peat swamps often get a bad reputation—phrases like “bogged down” or “swamped with work” don’t do them justice. But these overlooked wetlands are rich in biodiversity and play a vital role in fighting climate change.

To shed light on the hidden value of peatlands, poets Matt Sowerby (UK) and Kimchi Lai (Malaysia) teamed up with filmmakers Studio 91 Media and Factual TV. Over two immersive day trips in their respective countries, each pair of artists explored their chosen peatland—writing poetry and capturing footage inspired by the land and the people protecting it.

The result: a series of powerful spoken word films celebrating the beauty, biodiversity, and cultural significance of peatlands in the UK and Malaysia.

Experience the results at two exhibitions in Malaysia and one exhibition in the UK—to experience the poetry and watch all 10 films. You can also join our online Q&A session to ask questions and learn more.

Supported by the British Council’s Connections Through Culture grant, the project seeks to challenge perceptions and reframe how these landscapes are understood.

A Word from the Project Supporter

“Malaysia is one of 17 mega diverse regions in the world. It is known for its old rainforests but there are many other smaller ecosystems that contribute to Malaysia’s biodiversity. Peatlands and mangroves are such fragile ecosystems and they deserve our attention and protection. Science and technology are not the only tools we have to respond to threats such as climate change or resource extraction. The arts help us communicate around the issues and touch people in ways science or technology can’t.  Projects such as ‘Peat on Earth’ demonstrate that arts can play a role in addressing global challenges, and we are proud to be supporting such initiatives. Through our ‘Connections Through Culture’ and ‘Human-Nature’ programmes, we want to encourage artists and creatives to collaborate on projects that raise awareness on global challenges such as inclusion and climate change.” – Florence Lambert, Head of Arts and Creative Industries, British Council Malaysia

Connections Through Culture

The Connections Through Culture (CTC) Grant fosters cultural collaboration between the Asia-Pacific region and the United Kingdom, supporting artists and organisations at various stages of partnership. This grant cycle focuses on diversity, inclusion, and climate change, encouraging cross-border and interdisciplinary projects that address global challenges through the arts.

British Council

The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2022–23 we reached 600 million people.

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Contact

In the United Kingdom:
Studio 91 Media
ben@studio91media.co.uk

In Malaysia
Factual TV
info@factualtv.asia