The Festival comes to Emsworth
This Spring Emsworth residents have been offered the chance to take part in the Festival as part of the Nature of Art In Wessex project.
Professional artist Nicola Henshaw has been working with a range of local groups to create beautiful fabric prints which will be put together to create lengths of banners, and ran her first workshop last week with the Orchard Children’s Centre.
Nicola says ‘It was a huge success! I worked with Mums and toddlers from the Orchard Children's Centre (Sure Start scheme) - everyone had a great time and the banners produced were magnificent! I now have my work cut out, stitching all the fabric together to make bunting for the woodland.’
Other groups involved in this exciting arts and nature project include Glenwood School, Westbourne School, the U3A, local Brownies and Scouts. The Friends of Hollybank Woods have been leading guided walks in the woods for each of the groups which have proved really popular.
John Bond the Chair of the Friends of Hollybank Woods has been really pleased by the walks so far:‘It was very rewarding to see the enthusiasm and imagination of all the groups when they visited the woods. For some it was their first visit but having been introduced to the woods they are keen to come again’.
The prints will be used to transform Hollybank Woods – part of the ancient forest of Bere on the edges of Emsworth - creating a magical art trail which will be showcased during the first Hollybank Woods Open Day, as part of Salisbury International Arts Festival. Nicola will also be using the art work made the community to inspire some woodcarvings which will create a more permanent trail around the woods which can be seen throughout the seasons.
The Hollybank Woods Open Day on Saturday 21 May runs from 2pm – 5.30pm and will also include local musicians, storytellers, face painting, dancers and chance to see the newly renovated site of D-Day Nissen huts in the woods.
Nature Of Art In Wessex is an innovative three year project using art to help more people explore the nature on their doorstep. Funding to work with 6 communities until 2012 has been awarded by Natural England as part of its Access to Nature programme funded from the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme.
To find out more and see pictures of the project visit www.salisburyfestival.co.uk or www.nicolahenshaw.co.uk
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1. The Salisbury International Arts Festival has a distinguished history of presenting international arts events both traditional and contemporary across 16 days of celebrations each summer. The Festival has developed into a major annual UK multi-arts event, presenting every major art form, in the stunning setting of in and around Salisbury, Wiltshire. Participants and audiences travel from far and wide.
2. The Salisbury International Arts Festival is supported by Friends Provident, Wiltshire County Council, Salisbury City Council and Arts Council England – South West.
3. Access to Nature is run by Natural England and is part of the The Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme launched in November 2005 to help communities enjoy and improve their local environments.
4. Natural England manages this £25 million Lottery-funded programme on behalf of a consortium of twelve national environmental organisations comprising BTCV, British Waterways, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Greenspace, Groundwork UK, Land Restoration Trust, The National Trust, Natural England, RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust.
5. Through this programme, it is Natural England’s ambition to create opportunities for people from all backgrounds to have greater access to our natural environment and bring a lasting change to their awareness and understanding as well as improved links to the natural world, which many of us can take for granted.
6. For further information about Access to Nature visit www.naturalengland.org.uk/accesstonature
7. For further information about the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk