Everyone who took part in the Our Landscape project lives and enjoys the Sussex landscape. To create the work, Culture Spark invited nine local professional artists to lead creative workshops with 14 schools and community groups from across the district. Participants were invited to explore their own landscape – from the land to the sea.

What a lovely creative activity… Beauty from everyday things and creative ideas that make art accessible to all. Brilliant!

Participant at The Battery Studio workshops

Our aim was to draw from as diverse a range of groups and individuals as possible so people of all ages and backgrounds could have the opportunity to creatively explore their landscape. In addition, we were keen to offer participants a wide range of mediums and techniques so there were no creative limits for the artists. The only request was that they would use natural or recyclable materials where possible.

Led by the artists, the groups worked to create their pieces of art using either locally sourced willow, the sand on the beach, collage, marbling, chalk, 3D design with found materials, felt making with wool from Sussex sheep, wood cuttings and stone from a local forest and a heritage park or natural and recyclable materials.

Two artists curated the work into the pop-up shop on Chichester high street and in the Battery Studio at Petworth Park. Whilst visiting, people of all ages were invited to add to the display through interactive workshops. Throughout the project, beautiful memories of the Sussex landscape were created and shared.

What a lovely and beautiful exhibition! Thanks for working with schools to learn and love their surroundings.

 

This is really great! We don’t get enough of this kind of creating. I really wish the children could create more often.

 

So inspiring to see these wonderful responses to the Sussex landscape

The artists were Victoria Brown, Diane Dunning, Beck Firth, Mark Anthony Haden Ford, Lisa Kebell, Clare Jefferson Jones, Sue O’Keeffe, Helen Solly and Maureen Wells.

The schools and community groups involved were Bury Primary School, Sunflower & Poppy Groups at Tuppenny Barn, Chichester Community Development Trust: Space to Be, Girls Woodland Support Group – Space to Breathe, Lavant Primary School, Aldingbourne Trust, Think 18, The Sanctuary in Chichester, Bosham Monday Club, Chichester Free School, Chichester Ship Canal Trust, Visitors to Petworth House and to West Wittering Beach and those visiting the two exhibitions.

With thanks to Chichester District Council for the Levelling Up fund through UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Pallant House Gallery for the inspiration, Chichester Cathedral for facilitating the pop-up shop, the National Trust at Petworth House & Gardens for facilitating The Battery Studio, Chichester College for the boards and Culture Spark 2023 Project Board for encouraging Our Landscape to take place.