Life Cycles and Landscapes brings together Activate, And Now: and Landscapes for Life* to explore the ancient 400 mile Icknield Way as an inspiration for an ambitious new large-scale artistic work The Way; professional development focused on the landscape; and a strategic agreement between outdoor arts and AONBs nationally. 2016-2017 focuses on professional development and training and the resulting large scale artistic creation in 2018 will comprise of interventions in the landscape with audiences, bringing together performative, visual, digital and live artists to an artistic experience which will include animating the landscape between Norfolk and Dorset with fire, smoke, natural materials, performance and feasting. Life Cycles and Landscapes will work with the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Oerol Festival, Holland and other associate partners, in the realisation of the project.
Activate is absolutely delighted to be working with all our partners in the UK, Netherlands and France and to realise the artistic work of And Now:. Through Life Cycles and Landscapes, we will develop the artistic practice of making work in the landscape in England and open up new opportunities with our colleagues at the AONBs. The investment from Arts Council’s Ambition for Excellence programme is a real endorsement of work made to animate our very special landscapes.” Kate Wood – Executive Director at Activate
Phil Gibby, Area Director, South West, Arts Council England, said: “This award is great news for the area. The South west has an exceptionally strong culture of outdoor arts. This project will help to more fully integrate public art into the heart of the outdoor arts’ offer, supporting a step change in artistic practice in the outdoor sector. The beautiful, diverse landscape of the area lends itself to the work, opening up opportunities for more and different audiences to experience the value of art and culture on their doorstep.”
*Landscapes for Life is the name of the National Association of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty – AONBs).