Art and Landscape Symposium

10 October 2019, 10am–4pm

University for the Creative Arts, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7DS

A one day symposium exploring how the arts can enable a deeper understanding, knowledge and connection to landscape. This day will forge connections between landscape and health agencies, arts organisations and artists.

The day includes case studies that bring communities together, build relationships with a specific environment and improve health outcomes. It will offer information on how to approach a commission with lots of useful information and guidance. There will be a session for artists on how to achieve meaningful community engagement without compromising the art and the day will end with a guided tour around an arts trail on Farnham Heath.

Chaired by Professor and Author of ‘Land Art in Britain’, Joy Sleeman, with speakers from National Trust, Forestry England, AONBs, artists and outdoor arts organisations.

Artists Jonathan Parsons and Mary Branson will be talking about how their projects have built a greater understanding of the landscape and brought together communities as part of the Surrey Unearthed programme. Choreographers Katie Green and Rosemary Lee reveal what drives their site-adaptive dance work in response to outdoor settings including beaches in Cornwall and East Anglia and the caves of Somerset and Yorkshire.

Hayley Skipper from Forestry England and Grace Davies from the National Trust, share their wealth of knowledge commissioning work across the UK. We hear from artists Jane Ponsford and Russell Jakubowski how artists and participants can mutually benefit from meaningful engagement in their projects. Kate Wood, Director of Activate Arts, shares why the organisation works in protected landscapes such as Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the impact of the work. Madeleine Hodge gives an insight into the Ash to Ash project for Kent AONB, a celebration of ash trees and artists’ response to the devastating effects of ash dieback.

Following the symposium, delegates will be invited to a guided tour around Heathland Artworks, temporary site-specific works by BA and MA students from the University for the Creative Arts around RSPB Farnham Heath.