Over the weekend of 1st & 2nd February Stroud’s Museum in the Park hosted a celebration and harvesting of the fruits of Growing Places. Art, landscape, food and community have been the focus of the project which involved 20 artists and over thirty community groups, schools and charities.
Over 400 visitors each day came to see the Growing Places exhibition and take part in the Gathering which looked back at what’s been discovered during the project which began in March 2024. Workshops, discussions, singing and soup were all featured over the weekend alongside work in the exhibition from members of the community as well as professional artists. Ten of the artists had been resident in the Gingerbread House which itself was part of the exhibition. In a world premiere, songs composed by local musician Eleanor Holliday, while she was a resident artist, were performed by a 30 strong choir. Artists Emily Joy, Alison Cockcroft, Ffin Price and Nichola Goff shared insights about their experience as resident artists looking also to the future and to approaches which will bring communities more closely into contact with farms, food and nature through engagement with artists.
On the Saturday artists, farmers, teachers and composters came together to capture some of the experience gained through the project. A Directory is being produced of artists, community groups and landholders who would like to continue this work into the future. Also included will be case studies and guidance around applying for funding. Meanwhile a display of enticing vegetables grown locally was provided by Stroud Community Agriculture, one of the four sites where the project was focussed. Workshops included a walk draw session, soil and worm crafts by local environmental charity, Stroud Valleys Project, singing, wordplay with poet Johnny Fluffypunk and making butterflies in the Gingerbread House.
The Sunday sessions included contributions with a local perspective from Simon Opher MP, Alana Hopkins from the Cotswolds National Landscape, Jo Leahy of Stroud Valleys Artspace, Martin Large from Stroud Commonwealth and Richard Keating of Walking the Land, each followed by discussion. Sarah Dixon and Sharon Bennett gave an insight into their project about the concept of ‘farmer’s wife’, along with some reflection on current practice. Soil and grazing expert John Meadley and poet Adam Horovitz provided insights into their work together and how artists’ involvement can hugely increase engagement across communities. Later sessions looked at initiatives from across the country. Andrew Howe of the Landing Project shared details of his work in Shrewsbury connecting people and landscape through art. Valerio Massaro and Ioana Petkova made the journey to Stroud to give insight into their work with London’s Common Gardens.
A Narrative will shortly be circulated which documents some of the key moments and outcomes of the project, which will end in March.
The Directory aims to enable activities to continue into the future. Artists, farmers/ landholders and representatives from schools and community groups are invited to be part of this Directory: Growing Places Directory Form
Events during the Exhibition
- 1st and 2nd February – Gathering Weekend at Museum in the Park, Stroud.
- 1st February – Singing Workshop with Eleanor Holiday.
- 7th February 5pm – Exhibition Private View.
- 8th February – Eco Printing workshop £10 Booking required via the Museum. Purchase Tickets here.
- 9th February – Workshop: Celebrating the Life of a Noble Beech Tree – Free booking through growingplaces-admin@walkingtheland.org.uk
- 12th February – Willow Workshop at SCA £10 To book please contact norah.kenn@gmail.com
- 22nd February – Wassail 1.30pm-4pm.
- 23rd February— Mycelial Singing Workshop. Museum donation booking tickets available here
Artist Residencies and Events Programme 2024/2025
Exhibition – Museum in the Park, Stroud opening January 25th – 23rd February
Museum in the Park – Exhibition in Gallery 1 and Gingerbread House in the Courtyard
See, hear and explore the work of artists made during this year long project as they engaged with communities where town meets the Cotswold protected landscape. Find out about the work of local farmers, and taste locally grown food, consider the soil that feeds the food and the landscape that provides habitat for wildlife. Visit the Gingerbread House and see the creative work of local groups. Add your ideas about the future.
Valerie Coffin Price – 13th – 20th January 2025 – Gingerbread House Residency
Connecting with apple trees and their importance in our local community.
Apple Wassail – Sunday 5th January 2025 2.30pm-5pm
Mel Golding and members of her choir sang songs about apple trees and the earth they grow in.
Kate McMahon Parkes – variable dates through the project – Kate made glass inserts for the Loom Wall.
Huw Montgomery – 16th – 22nd September – Huw made furniture for the gingerbread house with mature larch felled from Folly wood.
Deb Hoy – 11th – 20th October – Workshop drawing with ink made from seeds and berries from around the Oakbrook, SCA, Folly Wood and Hawkwood.
Miniature Museum (Tara Downs and Bart Sabel) – 6th – 14th October
Nichola Goff – 4th – 10th November – Saturday 9th November mono printing with natural inks and origami butterfly making.
Eleanor Holliday – 11th-17th November – composing music and working with choirs.
The Women’s Art Activation System (WAAS – Sarah Dixon and Sharon Bennett) – 25th – 30th November
Bennett & McDermott (Sharon Bennett and Dan McDermott) 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 8th November & Weekend of Sat 7th December. Drop in workshops exploring ‘woodland time‘.
Periscope (Emily Joy & Alison Cockroft) – 9th – 15th December.
Please consider making a donation to help us reach our project match funding goal. Any contribution would be greatly appreciated. Please visit Growing Places on Go Fund Me and help make it all happen. Thank You!