Nature Calling

Nature Calling is a ground-breaking £2M national project funded by Arts Council England and Defra, that has – after a nationwide callout, with over 300 responses – commissioned an exceptional, diverse range of artists to explore and celebrate nature and our National Landscapes in the coming year. We at Activate Performing Arts are proud to be executive creative producers on the project and we will co-deliver alongside national arts partners.

“The great thing about Nature Calling is that it’s a chance for new voices to interpret the National Landscapes of England in new ways. Arts Council England and Defra funding means we can deliver our first all-England arts programme with six National Landscape teams working with artists to celebrate these iconic places with a season of events in 2025.” John Watkins, Chief Executive of the National Landscapes Association

The project is led and coordinated by the National Landscapes Association with Poetry School supporting the work nationally and 6 National Landscapes Hub areas across the country will produce outdoor work in their own landscape. Working with writers, musicians, visual artists and theatre-makers, Nature Calling will inspire new communities across England to connect with our National Landscapes, increasing people’s access to nature, improving their wellbeing and inspiring a sense of belonging in these special places.

“We have worked with our partners across the country to select a really diverse range of extraordinary writers, musicians and artists.  We are thrilled with their ideas for Nature Calling and look forward to working with them and the communities in all the locations.” Kate Wood, Executive and Artistic Director for Activate and Bill Gee, Co-Artistic Director of Inside Out Dorset.

The following writers and artists have been commissioned to explore and celebrate nature and our National Landscapes (formerly known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty – AONBs) and they will all begin work on their chosen projects that culminates in a Season of art between May and October 2025 – Visit the Nature Calling website to learn more about the project and the individual artists:

Dorset – Writer Louisa Adjoa Parker and Artist Becca Gill;

Chilterns – Poet Lee Nelson and Artist Matthew Rosier;

Forest of Bowland – Writer/Rapper OneDa and Artist Rob St John;

Lincolnshire Wolds – Poet Ayesha Chouglay and Artists INSTAR Weareinstar, Trish Evans and Nick Humphreys;

Mendip Hills – a collaborative commission with the writer Gwyneth Herbert, sound artist Jason Singh and nature documentary maker Chris Howard, produced by Sound UK;

Surrey Hills – Writer/Rapper Still Shadey and Artists David Blandy & Daniel Locke.

Nature Calling will bring together the 34 National Landscapes in England, local arts organisations and community groups from within a 30-minute journey time of their nearby National Landscape. They will work together to co-create artworks inspired by these iconic places and the results will then be shared with the public in a season of art from May – October 2025. Around 70,000 people will take part.

National Landscapes are the UK’s nearby countryside. 66% of people in England (44 million) live within 30 minutes of a National Landscape, over 1 million people live within them and at least 170 million people visit every year. Nature Calling aims to reach out and encourage even more communities to feel welcome to enjoy these special places and on their own terms.

Nature Calling is a first for National Landscapes because of its size, scope and the level of investment. It aims to inspire communities across England to connect with National Landscapes, increasing their access to nature, improving their wellbeing and inspiring a sense of belonging in these special places.

Dorset National Landscape and Active Performing Arts will be working with Louisa Adjoa Parker on the Nature Calling writing commission and Becca Gill on the Artist commission:

Louisa Adjoa Parker is a southwest writer of English-Ghanaian heritage. Her work, which includes poetry, fiction, prose and ethnically diverse history, has been widely published. Louisa is keen to hear from people in the Dorset National Landscape area, to understand their lived experiences of this special landscape. Share your views and stories with Louisa: https://dorset-nl.org.uk/dorset-nature-calling-writer-louisa-adjoa-parker/

‘‘I’m delighted to have been commissioned as the Dorset writer for Nature Calling. I’m looking forward to hearing local people’s stories about life in Dorset, and their connections with the local landscape. I’m especially keen to hear from those who haven’t traditionally been represented in nature and rural writing.’’ Louisa Adjoa Parker

Becca Gill is an artist and producer working in outdoor arts, community engagement, and mass participatory events. She has held senior creative producing roles as Head of Programme at Trigger (The Hatchling, PoliNations, Ground, Teabreak) and with Total Theatre, Kaleider, Pages of the Sea/14-18 NOW, BBC New Creatives and South West Creative Technology Network. She has pulled together a creative team of artists and writers – Nick Hayes, Sita Brahmachari and Grace Emily Manning – to explore ancient sites and develop new tales of nature, care and community. Becca will be working with: Grace Emily Manning RCA: Multidisciplinary artist, focused on landscapes, ecology, and folklore Sita Brahmachari: Celebrated author exploring ‘Home’ and ‘Belonging’ centring global majority voices Nick Hayes: Writer of The Book of Trespass, illustrator and co-founder of Right to Roam.

“The project Consequences isn’t just meaningful—it’s fun, aiming to captivate a broad audience and draw attention to our natural and sacred sites. We may have forgotten the stories our landscapes tell, but together, we can rediscover and inspire new tales of care, nurture, and community.” Becca Gill