Circular zodiac wheel with 12 triangular segments, each depicting astrology signs with corresponding artwork, mythology, and celestial imagery
Award-Winning Educational Programme

The Wheel of Balance

Art-based education built to inspire future generations — across Wales, the UK and internationally

Created by Welsh Artist Jeffrey Phillips — Millennium Commission Fellowship Award Winner

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What is the Wheel of Balance?

The Wheel of Balance is a 12-panel educational artwork created by Welsh artist Jeffrey Phillips — winner of a lifelong Fellowship Award from the Millennium Commission. With over 25 years of educational engagement and use in schools throughout Wales, it is the flagship programme of Heritage Life Horizons CIC. Designed to help young people and communities understand how creativity, sustainability, history, innovation and community all connect, it covers every key industry that shapes our world — from energy and technology to agriculture and marine biology, from industry through to space exploration. With sustainability and environmental consciousness at its heart, the Wheel of Balance is a dynamic, flexible educational tool for schools, home educators, community groups and organisations across the UK and internationally.

The Wheel of Balance — original 12-panel artwork by Welsh artist Jeffrey Phillips.

What Does It Teach?

Sustainability & Environment

  • Environmental consciousness and why we only have one planet Earth
  • The importance of our rainforests, forests and woodlands
  • The importance of our seas, oceans, rivers and waterways
  • How the world's ecosystems are interconnected
  • How human behaviour impacts the health of the environment and its people
  • How we rely on the environment for our everyday products and needs
  • Marine and land life — fish, mammals, animals, plants and insects
  • Understanding and interacting with our local environment
  • The importance and scarcity of the Earth's natural resources

Personal Life & Education Skills

  • Understanding how each of us plays an important role in the world, individually and collectively
  • Developing communication skills through collaboration with other students and teachers
  • Enhancing self-confidence, willingness to ask questions, and greater participation
  • Interacting with others through cross-cultural exchange
  • Understanding different sectors to broaden horizons and future career opportunities
  • Developing a greater understanding of why certain subjects matter
  • Enhancing interest and thirst for learning
  • Unlocking curiosity and helping students become excited about the world they live in

The 12 Panels

The programme is built around 12 subject panels, each exploring a different and interconnected aspect of our world. Participants can explore all 12 or a selected number depending on their programme.

Panel 01: Only One Planet Earth — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
01

Only One Planet Earth

Why our planet is irreplaceable and how we must protect it.

Panel 02: Balance — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
02

Balance

Understanding sustainable equilibrium in ecosystems and the natural world.

Panel 03: Fossil Fuels & Energy — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
03

Fossil Fuels & Energy

The history of energy, the impact of fossil fuels and the transition to renewables.

Panel 04: Industries — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
04

Industries

How industry has shaped civilisation and the importance of balancing prosperity with planetary health.

Panel 05: Water & Oceans — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
05

Water & Oceans

The vital importance of water, our oceans and marine life, and the threats they face.

Panel 06: People & Cultures — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
06

People & Cultures

Celebrating human diversity, heritage, traditions and the importance of cultural preservation.

Panel 07: Regeneration — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
07

Regeneration

Nature's extraordinary ability to heal and how humans can support and accelerate that process.

Panel 08: Species — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
08

Species

Biodiversity, the beauty of the natural world and why protecting species matters for us all.

Panel 09: The Solar System — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
09

The Solar System

Space exploration, Earth's place in the cosmos and the awe-inspiring scale of the universe.

Panel 10: Light & Colour — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
10

Light & Colour

How light and colour shape life, creativity, wellbeing and the natural world around us.

Panel 11: Time — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
11

Time

The history of how humans have measured time and why using it wisely matters for every generation.

Panel 12: The Future is in Our Hands — artwork by Jeffrey Phillips, Heritage Life Horizons
12

The Future is in Our Hands

Empowering participants to take action, make mindful choices and build a better world.

How It Works

The Wheel of Balance is fully flexible and designed to fit around your existing needs. Teachers, home educators and group leaders can choose the sequence of panels, the depth of exploration for each topic, and the teaching methods that suit their group best — from creative arts and hands-on activities to discussion, outdoor learning and interdisciplinary projects.

For Schools & Educators

Choose any number of panels and teach them in any sequence. Integrate into existing subjects and curriculum goals. Teach one panel per session or combine them. Works in classrooms, outdoor environments, or remotely. Flexible across term time, out of term time, and extracurricular settings.

For Home Educators

A structured, engaging programme that can be tailored entirely to your child's pace, interests and learning style. Teach indoors, outdoors or remotely — whatever works best for you.

For Community Groups

Fully adaptable for group settings, workshops and community projects. Can be delivered in person or remotely. Suitable for all ages and backgrounds, including intergenerational groups.

For Funders & Partners

Heritage Life Horizons CIC is a registered Community Interest Company delivering measurable social impact through art-based sustainability education — backed by a 25-year proven track record and active programmes across the UK and internationally.

Participants engage with each panel through discussion, creative arts and hands-on activities. Every participant is also invited to create their own personal Wheel of Balance — a meaningful creative expression of what they have learned and how they see the world.

Why Creative Arts?

Creative arts is about interaction, engagement and freedom of expression. We believe this approach to learning helps young people open up, be inspired, and apply themselves in ways that make learning proactive and fun. Through the Wheel of Balance, students develop curiosity, confidence and a genuine excitement about the world they live in — and the opportunities that lie ahead of them.

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We would love to hear from you — whether you are a school, home educator, community organisation, funder or international partner.

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