The National Forest

• People & Projects

• Arts in The Forest
• Barton-under-Needwood Sign
• Forest Songs
• Horse Power
• Newborough Village Feature
• Noon Columns
• Ravenstone Village Feature
• Sculpture at Thornton Reservoir
• Stanton Environmental Arts Project

Arts in The Forest

Celebrate the unique identity of where you live in The National Forest.

Starting Point

Creating an inspiring Forest Feature as a focal point for where you live! The first step is to get involved. It's a project for everyone to become a part of!!!

• Discuss Ideas
• Think about locations
• Plan your actions
• Contact your Parish Council, they will want to know about the proposal and be part of the team. They will need to approve the idea and location and agree to look after the maintenance of the village feature.

The National Forest can offer ideas for your feature and ways to involve local people.

Your local Arts Officer and Community Arts Organisation will give practical help and progress your ideas into action.

The Next Step

• Arrange an open village meeting; nothing complicated, just an opportunity for anyone who is interested to come along.
• Think about the local groups that could provide an input such as Playgroups, Schools, WI, Scouts, Brownies, History Societies, Church Groups and others. Advertise the meeting in local shops.
• Generate and discuss ideas and be imaginative.
• You could always have a feature sign, a village bench, gateway to your village, sculpture - whatever would suit your local surroundings.
• Collect ideas on what makes your locality special.
• The National Forest has a display showing lots of designs and can put you in touch with others who have created village features already.

Developing Plans

• Plan a timetable for your project.
• Use the help available to develop ideas for siting the project.
• Use artists workshops and project meetings to develop your ideas, but most of all have fun

Funding

The National Forest can offer grants of up to 50% for your project costs and can advise on other sources of funding too.

Success

Other places have done it, Ibstock & Measham have signs, Ravenstone a bench, Swannington a gateway feature, Swadlincote a town centre notice board and Alrewas a living willow sculpture.

All the ideas for these exciting new features came from local people. They worked with artists to turn ideas into real plans and now have the satisfaction of a permanent and positive contribution to their local surroundings.

Whether you live in a Hamlet, Village or Town, large or small you can do it.

For more information

Contacts

Charnwood Borough Council

East Staffordshire Borough Council

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council

Lichfield District Council

Mantle Arts Springboard Centre

People Express