National Landscapes teams have created opportunities and resources for people looking for ways to get out more for years, but the Nature Calling programme gave many teams the chance to explore how working with the arts could create different ways to support people connecting with nature more deeply. Building relationships over a period of time to help nurture a feeling of safety, removing barriers to access, providing activities and an idea of what to expect in advance, as well as supplying the basics like transport and food.

The results were fantastic – there were so many examples of how Nature Calling activities benefited people’s mental health that it’s difficult to choose the best examples. 

Having a positive impact on wellbeing was central to the ethos of Nature Calling from the beginning and was rooted into our bid to Arts Council England. This was reflected in the commissioning process – the artists we worked with wanted to be responsive, incorporating the participants’ ideas as their work developed: true co-creation. The artists and National Landscapes teams started out by taking time to understand the barriers particular individuals, communities or groups might experience in accessing nature or landscape. We gave enough time in the development phase for the artists and community groups to spend time together, visit the landscape and develop relationships based on trust. 

The experiences people had were in some cases moving and profound. Young people from east Lancashire spent time in the Forest of Bowland with artist Rob St John for the Are You Lost? project. As documented in the BBC’s Countryfile, Callum, a participant at Nelson’s YES Hub expressed how the structured and creative project led by Rob in the landscape helped him overcome his anxiety and leave the house.  

A visitor to the Are You Lost installation said: “I realise I definitely need to spend more time in the trees! It lets you settle and feel calm.” 

In Dorset, the engagement process Becca Gill from Radical Ritual and supporting artists, writer Sita Bramachari  and visual artist Grace Emily Manning, designed for participants was deeply emotional. Their project Consequences was based on the game of consequences, with different parts of a body were made by different groups and then put together to make a whole. Neurodiverse teenagers made the head; refugee and asylum seeker families made the heart; the legs were made by adults with learning difficulties; and the feet by primary school children.  

The artwork these groups created for the Consequences Giant was inspired by the Cerne Abbas Giant and its folklore. In her writing workshops, Sita encouraged narratives around identity, landscapes and belonging. Grace created paints, inks and tools from natural materials found in the landscapes, leading groups in creative play and image making, nurturing a deep immersive experience of being in nature and making work of and about the land.  

Everyone’s image or mark was included in the giant collage that was then fabricated into a 30 x 40m installation which toured three locations: Cerne Abbas, Corfe Castle and Summerhill in Yeovil. In Summerhill the participants gathered for a community parade where they carried banners and chanted a unifying shout of ‘Together We Are Giant’.  

Danny Garfoot of Birchfield Primary School said: 

“The May workshops were really special, the children were given small sketchbooks, I was amazed to see them begin filling them with poems and drawings inspired by nature and the walks. It gave then a safe space to express themselves – something we don’t always see in school. It was amazing to see so many parents come along to watch the giant be unveiled, brought there by their children’s excitement and pride.”

Jusna Mutafa of Thrive reflected on how Consequences opened up the outdoors for a wide variety of groups:

“Traditionally people of colour don’t feel comfortable in spaces like this, so it’s been really good to work with the different organisations that have arranged this, to bring people out into the countryside. I think that’s really helped. In future… people will go into those green spaces and feel like, well actually this is for everybody.” 

In  Northumberland Coast National Landscape, the Nature Calling project ‘Creative Coastal Connections’ invited global majority families from nearby Newcastle-upon-Tyne to the beach for a day of workshops and play.  Artists Benji, Karanjot, Palak and Hesam hosted a variety of sessions in Gateshead focused on nature, connection and creativity – including art workshops, yoga and Bollywood dancing. 

Lily, the Learning and Participant Manager at GemArts which hosted the workshops said: “Creative Coastal Connections is such a fabulous opportunity for the artists and communities we support at GemArts. Access to inspiring wild spaces and the wellbeing they provide have historically been limited for people of colour. The Northumberland Coast National Landscape holds unique creative energy, one that everyone should experience.” The project culminated in a celebratory day at Alnmouth for 70 guests ranging from 8 to 80 years old. Food, drink and transport was provided and activities included Bollywood dancing on the beach, nature bingo and a wind-down yoga session.
 

One participant shared:

"I've had a lovely day; it was so healing and relaxing."

Participant Ziba said: 

“I really enjoyed your trip, the photographer took some great photos for us, you were very kind and patient, my kids have never experienced travelling in Newcastle before, and this trip was exciting for them.”

Aram added:

“I felt really good and found peace, and I was able to spend a wonderful day with you and my friends. It was a new feeling for me. I got to know more people, and I was able to be part of the group and enjoy it.”

In the Howardian Hills National Landscape, the Nature’s Caring Call project brought together Next Door But One and York Dance Space to co-produce a creative carers’ break for clients of York Carers’ Centre. They ran a series of activities inspired by, and making use of, the natural beauty of the Howardian Hills. Activities took place around the village of Welburn, just a 30-minute drive from York City Centre.

Movement, dance, creative writing, and Playback Theatre were used to support unpaid carers in connecting mindfully with the outdoors, nature and each other. Participants reflected on how nature supported their wellbeing and explored how spending time in places of natural beauty could benefit them in the future.

The feedback from the carers who attended was really positive:

“The benefits are immense for this group of people who are essentially trapped in their circumstances. To be out in nature has been liberating.”

“Just being outside and being able to just put your worries away, just shut your phone off and ignore everything else is just immensely beneficial for my health and keeps me sane.”

“It’s been wonderful having someone look after me and feed me today.”

“I haven’t felt this happy in a long time.”

Individually these projects were significant to all who took part; collectively people and groups around the country had positive and well-supported new experiences in nature facilitated by artists and National Landscape teams, and people genuinely crave that engagement. A quote from the Surrey Hills National Landscape team about an outdoor session they ran: 

“Seeing them come out on a torrential morning was… well, we were like, they’ve arrived, they’ve actually turned up, we’re so happy.” 

Nature Calling has provided so many opportunities for people to feel rooted in their natural surroundings and for National Landscapes teams to learn more about how best to expand access. The commissioned artists had experience of working with community groups and spent time getting to know people, creating safe spaces and building trust. They didn’t make assumptions about people’s knowledge and expectations or about what they wanted – this helped them to understand the barriers people face that we might not have considered. Transport was provided as part of the programme – even when people have access to a private car, venturing into the countryside without knowing where to park or exactly where to go can be a psychological barrier to access which may be overcome by a familiarisation trip. 

The importance of this work for National Landscapes is not just a nice to have. National Landscapes are cultural designations, and places that form part of our heritage as a nation. Broadening access is how we demonstrate our legitimacy as ‘national’ landscapes, celebrate our nation, improve democratic decision making, contribute to improving health outcomes and nurture greater environmentally responsible behaviour – and the learnings from the programme are already being put into practice in other areas of teams’ work.