WHAT AN INCREDIBLE COUPLE OF WEEKS!
Just under 30 artists from a diversity of artistic disciplines joined us to develop their practice in the context of working in nature and ‘protected landscapes’. These residencies were part of the major national programme Nature Calling which is commissioning exceptional diverse artists to explore and celebrate nature and our National Landscapes by listening to communities and to ensure our landscapes are a place for everyone.
The weeks were full of peer to peer collaboration, wonderful presentations and vital discussions about art and our national landscapes. Designed for UK artists and companies from any artistic discipline working in the public realm or outdoor arts, the residencies focused on ways to develop artistic projects in protected landscapes, learn and share practice that diversifies engagement and finding out about the people who steward the landscape and broker relationships.
One of the participating artists said: “I really appreciated the opportunity to be involved, and for your generosity in openly sharing your knowledge, skills and experience. It was a special group and I’m sure I’ll keep in contact with many of the participants.”
Thank you to our co-leaders joining our Artistic & Executive Director Kate Wood: Ruth Pitter (Director of Black Women Let Loose Theatre Co, Co-Director of Soul Trail Wellbeing, Grace The Space, and equity, diversity and inclusion specialist trainer), and Bill Gee (one of the founders of Outdoor Arts UK, Co-Artistic Director of Inside Out Dorset at Activate and Co-Executive Producer of Nature Calling with Kate, supported by Kerenza McClarnan, Arts Development Programme Manager at the National Landscape Association, as well as our guest contributors: in Newbury – our partners at 101 Creation Space Simon Chatterton and Danielle Corbishley, Annette Weis from the Chilterns National Landscape, Tom Haywood from Berkshire Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust, Liz Pugh, Co-Founder of Walk The Plank and the poet Lee Nelson, the commissioned writer for Nature Calling and The Chilterns who has been writing and performing for 30 years. In Salford our core team was joined by Cathy Hopley from the Forest of Bowland National Landscape, Rob St John, our commissioned artist for Nature Calling in Bowland, Liz Pugh and Ben Turner from Walk the Plank.
Nature Calling is a partnership between the National Landscape Association, Activate Performing Arts and Poetry School with six regional National Landscapes to commission artists, the project will engage new audiences across England and inspire the whole National Landscapes family.
A huge thanks to the 101 Creation Space, Corn Exchange Newbury for supporting and hosting and a thanks to Walk The Plank for welcoming us in the space.
Thanks to funding from Arts Council England and DEFRA (department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), this residency was free to attend, with food and accommodation.
All information about the Nature Calling project and the artists commissioned can be found here: Nature Calling
Image credit: Irene Archibald