Nature Calling

Nature Calling is the first national programme of new art commissions by the National Landscapes Association.

The National Landscapes Association is the membership body for the UK's 46 National Landscapes, iconic places you might have visited or seen on TV. They include familiar sights like the chocolate box villages of the Cotswolds; Willy Lott's farm - the scene of Constable's Hay Wain painting; and Pendle Hill, iconic in north west England as the backdrop for the legendary Pendle witches. They are all different, dynamic, living communities with distinct heritage and culture.

In 2023, The National Landscapes Association, working with Activate Performing Arts, was absolutely thrilled to secure funding from Arts Council England (as part of the Lottery funded Nationally Significant Project stream) and Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) (as part of the Protected Landscapes Partnership) and National Landscapes in England to deliver Nature Calling.  Nature Calling is designed to amplify new voices and create innovative artwork in collaboration with communities close to National Landscapes and building to a national 'season' sharing the work between May and October 2025.

Our national Executive Creative Producers Activate Performing Arts, have decades of experience of working with artists and community groups to create high quality outdoor art experiences.

26 National Landscapes and 2 National Parks are involved.

After a competitive process, six National Landscapes were selected to be 'hubs'. In January the six hubs delivered the first writing commissions which have led to the large scale art projects, inspired by the writing, the land and the communities they are working with.

National Landscape teams will work with local arts producers to help them collaborate with nearby communities.

Hubs: Chilterns National Landscape - working with communities in Luton; Dorset National Landscape are working with diversity of groups in Yeovil; Forest of Bowland National Landscape young people in Nelson and Burnley; Lincolnshire Wolds National Landscape under 25s and disabled people from across the county; Mendip Hills National Landscape have worked with young people in Weston-super-Mare; and Surrey Hills National Landscape with New Addington in Croydon.