In 2021, our Board adopted a national Art in the Landscape Strategy, prepared by the National Landscapes Association. This signalled a commitment to forging stronger links with arts organisations in the Cotswolds.
Nature, wildlife, and the landscape have been inspiring writers and artists for generations. It’s well known that being in nature provides huge benefits for our physical and emotional health, and it sparks imagination. By experiencing creativity, arts, and culture in the context of the environment, we can also broaden our understanding of many of the challenges we face – including climate change and the loss of biodiversity.
Art in the Landscape is an exciting project run jointly by the National Landscapes Association, and the national network of National Landscapes.
Each of us has our own personal relationship with our most cherished landscapes. We interpret and bring meaning to them according to our previous experience and interests. Landform becomes landscape when we interact with it and its layers of nature, culture, heritage. The arts bring a new dimension to this and give us the opportunity to connect in new ways. They can offer an invitation for people to connect with these special places, which are protected by the nation for everyone.
The future
We welcome conversations with like-minded artists, arts organisations, and funders who would like to work with us to develop an Arts in the Landscape programme in the Cotswolds. Please contact alana.hopkins@cotswolds-nl.org.uk if you have an idea you would like to discuss.