Help promote our Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) by taking part in a UK wide creative project.
Green Space Dark Skies seeks to highlight the joys and benefits of getting out into nature and the role of our protected landscapes in modern society. The project is one of ten commissioned as part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK (a celebration of creativity taking place across the UK in 2022). UNBOXED features free large-scale events, installations and globally accessible digital experiences in the UK’s most ambitious showcase of creative collaboration.
20,000 people are being recruited to create large-scale outdoor artworks in 20 of the UK’s most outstanding landscapes for Green Space Dark Skies. Gatherings will take place at locations including the Cairngorms, The Chilterns, Gower, Dartmoor, Lagan Valley AONB and our Causeway Coast AONB. The gatherings will be created at dusk by participants, referred to as Lumenators. They will be guided along pathways or waterways carrying smart lights that will enable digital choreography captured on film, while also being sensitive to the night-time environment. Short films will incorporate the stories of the people and places featured and will be broadcast online after the event. Lumenators will also be encouraged to share their own connections to the landscape and the local areas as part of their involvement.
John Watkins, Chief Executive of the National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty said:
“The UK’s 46 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty are within half an hour’s journey time for the majority of people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Green Space Dark Skies will give people a truly once in a lifetime experience and the opportunity to develop their own relationship with the nationally valued landscapes on their doorstep. The AONB family is thrilled to be part of Green Space Dark Skies, a project committed to opening up spaces for people while protecting nature. We hope that the Lumenators will continue to return to their AONBs, benefitting from the peace and rootedness that comes with a deep connection with place, and become the environmental guardians of the future.”
To protect these amazing places, the exact locations will only be revealed to the people who have registered to take part. There will be no spectators, but anyone can take part for free as long as they sign up in advance and everyone can watch the films of each event online.
Events will take place across the UK from 23 April with the finale in September featuring events in all four nations of the UK, more details to follow soon.
To take part in Green Space Dark Skies register HERE