Nature Calling Announcement
£2M Art Project Coming to Forest of Bowland National Landscape
Forest of Bowland National Landscape is one of 6 major hubs across England that will take part in a ground-breaking £2M art project called Nature Calling.
Funded by Arts Council England, the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs and National Landscapes in England, Nature Calling www.naturecalling.org.uk aims to inspire new communities to connect with their local National Landscape, increase their access to nature, improve their wellbeing and inspire a sense of belonging in these special places.
Here in the Forest of Bowland we have commissioned two exciting artists. The writer, poet and rapper called OneDa will be running workshops and create a piece or performance with young people this Autumn. Following on from them, sound artist Rob StJohn will build on OneDa's work, and continue the collaborations with young people to develop his own sound and video installations that will be situated in and around the National Landscape over the summer of 2025.
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.
Partners include the National Landscape Association, Activate Performing Arts, Poetry School, and the six regional National Landscape hubs where the larger scale work will take place. As well as ourselves, these include the Chilterns, Dorset, Lincolnshire Wolds, Mendip Hills and Surrey Hills.
Here at Forest of Bowland National Landscape, we already incorporate art into the community work we do as it’s been shown to provide so many benefits for both people and nature. This has taken the form of temporary sculptures, performances, artistic installations,
collaborating with artists and events to name a few. But because of its size and scope, Nature Calling will reach even more and a wider range of people locally.
At Forest of Bowland National Landscape, we will work with communities, and particularly young people, from Burnley and Nelson who may not otherwise have the opportunity to explore, and be inspired by, this outstanding countryside on their doorstep. Follow us on social media to keep in touch and to get involved.
Keep an eye on our socials as we announce developments with the project.
Partner Links:
- OneDa
Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/onedawall
X (Twitter): https://www.x.com/onedawall
- Lancaster Arts
Instagram: Lancasterartsuk
X: Lancasterarts
- Blaze Youth Arts
https://www.facebook.com/blazeyoutharts
Instagram: blazearts_