SALISBURY Cathedral is set to welcome four leading experts this summer – each inspired by or centred around water.

This forms part of the cathedral’s year-long creative programme of events on the theme of water, which also includes the new summer art exhibition Living Water.

The experts coming to Salisbury are acclaimed marine biologist Dr Helen Scales, environmental journalist Tim Smedley, Turner Prize-winning artist Lubaina Himid and Sunday Times bestselling writer Sathnam Sanghera.

Dr Helen Scales will kick off the first talk on Wednesday, June 18: What the Wild Sea Can Be.

The talk explores the deep history as well as the future of our oceans, exploring the different challenges and increasing issues which are arising, and that all might not be lost when wondering if we can restore some of the beauty back to the sea.

What the Wild Sea can Be was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction this year, as well as longlisted for The Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction in 2024.

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Tim Smedley will give a talk based around the question, ‘Can We Save the World’s Water Crisis?’ on Friday, June 27.

In his most recent book, Tim delves into the alarming consequences of human mismanagement and climate crisis on the water cycle, and the possible solutions that are just waiting to be adopted.

Tim Smedley is an award-winning environment writer (BBC Future, The Guardian, The Sunday Times) and author of two groundbreaking books, Clearing The Air: The Beginning and the End of Air Pollution (2019 – shortlisted for the Royal Society Science Book of the Year)

The third talk is inspired by a part from Salisbury Cathedral’s upcoming art exhibition Living Water. Lubaina Himid, UK representative at the next Venice Biennale, is exhibiting an installation work in the Cloisters and a sculpture in the Nave, based around the colonial histories that are woven into our cultural institutions.

Sathnam Sanghera and specialist in British colonial history Professor Alan Lester will explore this thought-provoking topic on Thursday, July 31, looking at how British Imperialism has shaped the modern world.

Living Water, an exhibition of contemporary art, runs from Saturday, June 7 to Sunday, September 28 and is supported using public funding by Arts Council England.

Tickets for these talks are £10 for adults and £8 for under 18s and students, available from the cathedral website salisburycathedral.org.uk.