A photography competition and exhibition in aid of refugee rescue called ‘Surrounded By Sea’ has been announced.

The exhibition will run from December 10th–12th at the Dean Art Space on Harcourt Street. ‘Surrounded By Sea’ is a project created by Karen Cowley of Wyvern Lingo and Irish photographer Ruth Medjber.

“Very special celebrity contributors” like Hozier, The Happy Pear and Thalia Heffernan will have photos displayed at the exhibition.

‘Surrounded By Sea’ will hold an open call for contributions and invites the public to submit photo entries that show what the sea means to them. It’s open to photographers of all levels and requires a €10 submission fee. Entries can be submitted here.

Industry judges will select 1st, 2nd and 3rd place with 3 great prizes up for grabs. 1st prize will enjoy a night’s stay at Glasson Lakehouse in Athlone, Westmeath in a Lakeview Deluxe Room. 2nd prize receives a €250 voucher for Conns Cameras as 3rd receives a voucher worth €150.

The exhibition — which is supported by Conns Cameras and the Dean Arts Studio — is set to feature a “grippingly unique variety of views of what the sea means to the people of our island.”

“The sea gives me the feeling of familiarity that I can tap into anywhere in the world. I use it to soothe my anxious mind when I travel,” said Ruth Medjber about her connection to the sea.

“I let the sound wash over my noisy thoughts and drown out the sounds of a blustering world and re-center me with its infinite rhythm. I focus my eyes on the horizon and blissfully zone out. It's meditation, nostalgia, comfort and peace. The sea is my home from home,” she added.

Refugee Rescue was established in 2015 after almost 23,000 people drowned trying to cross the Mediterranean sea in 2014. It was formed by “ordinary Irish citizens" and aims to respond to the refugee crisis.

“On average, 5 people drown attempting to cross the Central Mediterranean route every day, and without any E.U. funded search and rescue missions, these numbers will only continue to rise as they have done since 2020,” the organisation said in a statement.

“The Refugee Rescue team, along with a handful of civil NGO vessels, are working alone, while being regularly detained and often criminalized by local and European authorities,” they added.

“Refugee Rescue and its Irish volunteers strongly believe that our own legacy of forced migration by sea throughout the Irish struggles of famine and violence, puts us in a unique position to offer not only deep empathy but also solidarity to those who must do the same as we did in search of a better life.”

More information on Refugee Rescue is available here.