Jurassic Coast pioneers links between arts and natural sciences

Desert Crossings, Kevin Clifford

The Jurassic Coast Partnership is embarking on a new eighteen month arts and earth science project, with Grants for the arts funding from Arts Council England and support from other partners.

Creative Coast 2012 is probably the only project in the world that brings the arts sector together with natural science in a genuine collaboration which supports the management of a natural Site of global importance.

The Partnership aims to use World Heritage status to benefit people locally, nationally and internationally. Rooted in the work that has been done over the last six years, the project will continue to develop the connection between the arts sector and the people and organisations which manage the Site. 

These collaborations will provide a continuing cultural legacy beyond activities planned around the Olympic and Paralympic sailing and windsurfing events in 2012, for which the Jurassic Coast provides the spectacular setting. As part of the project, Creative Coast will be working with arts partners on eight ambitious projects which will form a programme of activities, events and exhibitions for 2012. This work will be used to demonstrate to policy makers how the arts can play an important role in the management of our natural heritage.

The eight projects are:

1. The Jurassic Coast Earth Festival, managed by the Lyme Regis Development Trust, and featuring State of Emergency's Desert Crossings, Onboard and Project Pliosaur, amongst many others

2. Exploratory Laboratory, a series of visual art commissions which will be seen on and around the coast in 2012, managed by Big Picture, a collaboration of seven small visual arts organisations in rural Dorset

3. Coastal Voices, four new works commissioned by Lighthouse, Poole for massed choir/vocal ensembles in the Jurassic Coast region to celebrate our natural heritage, singing and to perform at local and regional events.

4. Dorset Design and Heritage Forum are working with Creative Coast on using the profile and global status of the Jurassic Coast to strengthen the case for high quality design of the public realm including guidance for art in the public realm near to the Coast.

5. Outdoor Events and Celebrations development with Activate Performing Arts through Quest's project Battle for the Winds.

6. A studentship made up from three PhDs with Exeter University: Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, which all study different aspects of this project.

7. Jurassic Journey multi media performance and exhibition with Artsreach and Villages in Action, which is touring rural networks in Dorset, Devon and nationally.

8. Desert Crossings with dance company State of Emergency which has already toured regionally, nationally and internationally; adapting the piece for site specific performance at Orcombe Point in 2012.

Chair of Creative Coast, Chris Humphrey, said:
"We are delighted that the Arts Council is continuing to support our work. The Creative Coast Group and its partners have been developing a range of projects for many years and the next eighteen months will see much of our hard work come to fruition. One of our key ambitions is to create new opportunities for the arts to work more closely in the management of our natural heritage. This will be a significant theme for us next year as our creative coast provides the glorious setting for the 2012 Games."