Everything Changes, Everything Stays The Same
Wild Museum produced a multi-year rural arts programme in North Cumbria 2021-2024, working with artists, conservationists and community organisations. Commissioned by North Pennines National Landscapes as part of their £2m Fellfoot Forward Landscape Partnership Scheme. Funded by National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional support from Arts Council England.
Through 2021-24, we produced an extensive programme of public events & workshops, installations and exhibitions, and practice development opportunities for local artists. All activity was dedicated to increasing the sense of connection felt by rural Cumbria communities with their landscapes- its shifting biodiversity and habitats, its stone circles and prehistoric past, and its threatened futures. We prioritised participants for whom there were cultural and socioemotional barriers to green and rural spaces; including blind and partially sighted residents, neurodiverse groups, and young people experiencing social isolation.
Produced by: John Coburn
Artists: Chris Watson, Guy Schofield, Rose Ferraby, Tim Shaw, Jayne Dent, Jeremy Bradfield, Jorge Boehringer, Calum Howard, Eden Valley Artistic Network, BlueJam Arts, Amy Boud, Dominic Smith.
Across 2021-24 , local communities explored their landscape through arts and creativity.
2,011 participants. 40+ regional organisations. 301 volunteers.
81 workshops, performances and events with and for local communities.
Collaborations with 100+ artists, creatives, ecologists, farmers, archaeologists, subject specialists.
32 radio programmes produced, now broadcasting on Fellfoot Radio
“Everything Changes Everything Stays the Same” project has significantly surpassed its engagement targets, profoundly impacting the North Pennines’ cultural landscape and community cohesion. This success is evident from the feedback and comprehensive evaluations conducted through interviews, feedback forms, and interactive sessions, highlighting high participant enjoyment and skill development. Notably, the project has fostered a vibrant network of cultural practitioners, embodied by the formation of the Fellfoot Collective..
Through various digital and live outputs, the project managed to engage communities in innovative ways, from sound-based workshops to public performances, enhancing local engagement with the arts. The diversity of activities, ranging from field recordings to radio broadcasts, enabled participants to explore and express their cultural identities creatively and collaboratively.
These engagements facilitated personal growth and skills development among participants and strengthened communal ties and cultural appreciation.”