FAQs

Green Space Dark Skies is produced and delivered by a team led by Walk the Plank and was commissioned as part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK. Walk the Plank is working in collaboration with Core Partners Siemens, National Parks UK and the University of Salford, and with Landscapes for Life: The National Association of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Extraordinary Bodies, the collaboration between Diverse City and Cirque Bijou, Activate Performing Arts and CC-Lab.

Walk the Plank is working with the National Trust as creative and delivery partners in a number of locations across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

We actively want to play a part in shaping what Britain’s cultural landscape looks like in 2022 and beyond; we want people to participate in an ambitious project that brings together artists, engineers and environmental scientists; we want to create space for under-represented voices and emerging talent…and we trust the UNBOXED team to ensure that we have the creative freedom to explore the questions our R&D process began to ask. UNBOXED’s stated premise is based around expressions of hope – and we believe that there is value in the idea that hope may combat despair.

UNBOXED is a committed event with ring-fenced funding and a political will to make it happen. We believe that the best use of these funds – our money, as taxpayers, not the government’s – is to use them for the purpose outlined on the UNBOXED website.

Not since the Olympics has there been an event of this scale and creative ambition and, the most important thing is that we have this once-in-a-generation opportunity for the sector, and the wealth of talent that exists within it, to do something amazing. The challenges of isolation, lockdown and uncertainty created by the pandemic surely make this more important than ever.

It’s worth noting that UNBOXED is funded by the four governments of the UK regardless of the political leadership that exists within each one, and it has cross-party support within Westminster.

Green Space Dark Skies has been commissioned as part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK which is funded and supported by the four governments of the UK and is commissioned and delivered in partnership with Belfast City Council, Creative Wales and EventScotland.

The mass gatherings will take place between April and September in 2022. Walk the Plank and partners are aiming to deliver up to 20 events across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The first gathering will take place in the Peak District National Park on 23 April.

A ‘Lumenator’ is our name for somebody who carries a specially designed, low impact light for Green Space Dark Skies. The lights are being designed to be sensitive to the night-time environment. Together, thousands of Lumenators will experience some of the UK’s beautiful green spaces at dusk. Everyone who signs up to join in will help to make amazing art outdoors. There will be no spectators, so only people who have signed up in advance can take part. However, there will be capacity limits for each location so that we can effectively manage numbers in these special landscapes.

We are looking for up to 20,000 Lumenators to help experience beautiful landscapes across the UK. Anyone can join alone, with family and friends, or with an organisation. It’s free to take part and everyone is welcome. In fact, we’re hoping to make sure that anyone who wants to can be involved. There will be no spectators, so only people who have signed up in advance can take part. However, there will be capacity limits for each location so that we can effectively manage numbers in these special landscapes.

Green Space Dark Skies will enable people from all walks of life to forge new connections with the countryside by supporting those who experience cultural and physical barriers to experiencing our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to access events.

If anyone is interested in getting involved, they can register their interest at our website www.greenspacedarkskies.uk. We have announced the majority of the host National Parks and AONBS and people can now register to become a Lumenator at a specific site, where we have a confirmed date. Confirmation of the remaining sites and dates will follow soon.

We will also be running a programme of activities with community groups around the selected event locations with people who may not feel that the countryside is a place they feel welcome, to support them to become Lumenators.

Lumenators will also be encouraged to share their own connections to the landscape and the local areas as part of their involvement.

This is the chance to be part of something truly special. Millions will be able to watch the events soon after they take place online, for free. Each short film will also incorporate the stories of the people and places featured.

Walk the Plank is working closely with its core partner National Parks UK and with Landscapes for Life: The National Association of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to identify suitable locations in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty were asked if they wanted to participate in Green Space Dark Skies and work with the team to select suitable locations, particularly in areas where local communities may experience cultural and physical barriers to experiencing the countryside.

The Green Space Dark Skies team is working closely with landowners and local stakeholders, including the National Trust on the creative planning and delivery of each event. Therefore, each event will depend on the confirmation of landowner permissions, approval of event plans and local stakeholder engagement and so event locations and dates may be subject to change.

Walk the Plank is working with each National Park and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to create an event as part of Green Space Dark Skies. Each event will depend on the confirmation of landowner permissions, approval of event plans and local stakeholder engagement and therefore event locations and dates may be subject to change.

To protect these amazing places, the exact locations will only be revealed to the people who have registered to take part nearer the time of the event.

We want to ensure that as many people as possible can become Lumenators, however, we have limited capacity at each event to ensure that we protect these amazing landscapes where the events will take place.

There is a waiting list available for each event, but there is no guarantee that more places will become available.

Walk the Plank is working with each National Park and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to create an event as part of Green Space Dark Skies. Each event will depend on the confirmation of landowner permissions, approval of event plans and local stakeholder engagement and therefore event locations, dates and the number of places for Lumenators may be subject to change.

You can, although we’re encouraging people to visit their nearest location and use public transport wherever possible.

Green Space Dark Skies places environmental and social sustainability at the heart of its design and delivery, highlighting the value of the nature environment as a core purpose and delivering significant measurable positive impact. Green Space Dark Skies will be a carbon net-positive project* combining exemplar low-emissions production with local climate investments.

*The Green Space Dark Skies team is measuring and balancing 100% of its unavoidable Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The team also acknowledges its Scope 3 emissions and the complexity associated with calculating these, and is working hard to rise to the challenge with its stakeholders.

No, only those people that have registered in advance can become Lumenators. There will be no spectators. We will not be revealing the exact locations publicly to protect these amazing landscapes.

Yes, you can sign up to take part as an individual and you will get the chance to make lots of new connections.

Yes, you can book places for up to 10 people through the website. Children under the age of 18 will need to have permission from an adult guardian to participate and be accompanied by an adult guardian. As the events are taking place at dusk in summer, the events are likely not to be suitable for young children, but the decision to participate will be at the discretion of the adult guardian.

Access information about each site is available on: https://greenspacedarkskies.uk/events/

We want to ensure that as many people as possible can become Lumenators, however, we have limited capacity at each event to ensure that we protect these amazing landscapes where the events will take place.

We want to help schools, communities, organisations and individuals to develop, make new contacts and access support and resources. We want to ensure that large groups are connected to our Learning and Participations teams in each area so that they can take advantage of a range of experiences that encourage exploration, love and care for the UK’s green spaces.

For details of how and why we collect personal data, and for how long we store that data, visit https://greenspacedarkskies.uk/privacy-and-cookies-policy/

We have provided basic information for each event about its accessibility. As we confirm the exact locations and carry out further assessments, we will be able to provide more detailed information. In the meantime, please email us at info@greenspacedarkskies.uk and we’ll arrange to talk to you about how we can help you to become a Lumenator.

We are aware that some of the locations we have chosen have restricted public transport access. We will be conducting transport plans for each location and where necessary, we will provide transport to and from local transport hubs.

We understand that people’s availability may change as the events near. Please do let us know if you can no longer take part and we can reallocate your place to someone on the event waiting list.

Each event will be captured on film and each short film will incorporate the stories of the people and places featured and you will be able to watch them online, for free after the event.

No, each event is tailored to its specific location so every event will be unique.

Yes, a finale will take place in September featuring events in all four nations of the UK, more details to follow soon. You will be able to register to be a Lumenator for any of the finale events taking place near to you. There will be no spectators, but anyone can take part for free as long as they sign up in advance and everyone can watch the films of the finale online soon after the events.

Everyone is welcome to participate, but we know that not everybody feels able to make use of the countryside. Currently, only a small percentage of visitors to our national parks are from minority ethnic backgrounds or working class. If people have a disability or mobility issues, or are from a low socio-economic background, just getting to the countryside might involve a journey beset with obstacles – from transport infrastructure to a lack of accessible toilet provision or just a lack of money.

While Green Space Dark Skies cannot remove all the barriers to access, our recruitment will be led by those we wish to include. If people need more support to be able to get involved, they just need to let us know and then we will do what we can to make that support possible.

Sustainability is at the heart of this UK-wide project. Green Space Dark Skies will be carbon net-positive*, combining exemplar low-emissions production with local climate investments. In the face of the climate emergency, thousands of Lumenators will become caretakers of nature for the future. To protect the amazing landscapes we’ll be travelling to, the exact locations will be a secret – only those who’ve signed up in advance will be there on the day. There will be no spectators.

The low impact lights have been specially developed by Siemens to be sensitive to the night-time environment.

*The Green Space Dark Skies team is measuring and balancing 100% of its unavoidable Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The team also acknowledges its Scope 3 emissions and the complexity associated with calculating these, and is working hard to rise to the challenge with its stakeholders.

Walk the Plank has a track record of using outdoor art, creativity and mass participation as a way to engage people in a wide range of themes.

To protect the amazing landscapes we’ll be travelling to, the exact locations will be a secret – only those who’ve signed up in advance will be there on the day. However, all the events will be filmed and edited by CC-Lab and will be available to watch, for free soon after the event. More details to follow.

CC-Lab is producing a short film of each event that will capture the digital choreography created by the Lumenators carrying hand-held, low impact lights. Each short film will incorporate the stories of the people and places featured and will be broadcast online, for free for anyone to view, soon after each event. More details to follow.

The events will take place at dusk so the exact time will vary in each location. This is so that the lights will be visible when filmed.

Green Space Dark Skies will present temporary, low-impact lighting interventions (the lights will be used for a short period of time at dusk) creating magical, memorable moments in the landscape. Each mass gathering aims to celebrate nature, our responsibility to protect it and everyone’s right to explore the countryside. The planning for Green Space Dark Skies has, from the earliest stages, benefitted from the input of National Park officers involved in International Dark Skies accreditations.

*The Green Space Dark Skies team is measuring and balancing 100% of its unavoidable Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The team also acknowledges its Scope 3 emissions and the complexity associated with calculating these, and is working hard to rise to the challenge with its stakeholders.

Walk the Plank has a long-standing partnership with Siemens, another Greater Manchester based company. As a company at the forefront of new digital technology, and leaders in the field of Science, Technology and Engineering, they were an obvious choice to work with on Green Space Dark Skies. Siemens are responsible for the research, development and production of the innovative lighting system which is integral to the creative vision for Green Space Dark Skies.

Siemens engineers are working with partners Core Lighting to build a set of innovative, remote-controlled, geolocating hand-held lights. The lighting technology uses existing wireless programmable lights and incorporates something that’s never been done before: the ability for these lights to be animated through geo-positioning where the position of each light can be known in relationship to the others. This will allow the team to change the colour and intensity of the lights, without needing to move individual Lumenators.

The team of engineers includes two of Siemens young Graduate Electrical and Electronic Engineers who were part of the original R&D project: Annabel Ohene and Nathaniel Fernandes.

After the events Walk the Plank will be able to use the lights at events in the UK and worldwide.

If people have a disability or mobility issues, or are from a low socio-economic background, just getting to the countryside might involve a journey beset with obstacles – from transport infrastructure to a lack of accessible toilet provision or just a lack of money.

While Green Space Dark Skies cannot remove all the barriers to access, our recruitment will be led by those we wish to include. If people need more support to be able to get involved, then we will do everything we can to make that support possible.

We will be running a programme of activities with community groups around the selected event locations with people who may not feel that the countryside is a place they feel welcome, to support them in their journey to become Lumenators.

If people need more support to be able to get involved, then we will do everything we can to make that support possible.

No, everyone is welcome to be involved. Children under the age of 18 will need to have permission from an adult guardian to participate and be accompanied by an adult guardian. As the events are taking place at dusk in summer, the events are likely not to be suitable for young children, but the decision to participate will be at the discretion of the adult guardian.

Access information about each site is available on https://greenspacedarkskies.uk/events/

The Head of Learning, working with the producers and participation team for the events in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are identifying local community partners and networks to work in collaboration to build a programme of arts-led activities to engage people in stories about their relationship to the countryside.

We want to help schools, communities, organisations and individuals to develop, make new contacts and access support and resources. Together with our partners, Walk the Plank will create a wide range of experiences that encourage exploration, love and care for the UK’s green spaces. These opportunities and more information about the Learning programme will be posted in the Learning section of www.greenspacedarkskies.uk. Activities and support for outdoors and community groups will explore the themes of Green Space Dark Skies with resources for all ages to explore your own relationship to the outdoors.

Obviously, health and safety considerations are paramount in the planning of Green Space Dark Skies. Walk the Plank has exemplary health and safety expertise in staging complex outdoor arts events with thousands of participants. Test events will take place as part of the creative development phase.

Walk the Plank has been delivering Covid-safety compliant outdoor events across the UK during the pandemic, post lockdowns. All Green Space Dark Skies will be Covid-safety compliant. The team includes an experienced Health and Safety Manager who is visiting all site locations to assess all health and safety requirements.

We want to encourage every Lumenator to have an enjoyable experience. The aim is to leave no trace, and to empower everyone involved to make a difference locally. In the face of the climate emergency, and through this once-in-lifetime experience, we hope that thousands of Lumenators will become caretakers of nature for the future.

Green Space Dark Skies is an ambitious project on a grand scale. We are working with real people, in real places, with very real weather! This means that the details of each event are likely to change as the project develops. But the events will go ahead no matter the weather, unless extreme weather conditions make it unsafe to go ahead.