‘Green pastures’ ahead with new, environment Heritage Accelerator partnership

A new partnership will support enhanced environmental appreciation in the county through the University of Northampton’s first group of heritage heroes.

The Heritage Accelerator programme supports practitioners in Corby and surrounding areas to deliver heritage-related, hands-on educational projects for children and young people, such as the history of Corby or its built and natural environment.

The Accelerator project is backed by The National Lottery Heritage Fund the ‘Fab Four’ of artists selected to be UON’s first practitioners were officially ‘unveiled’ to the world in October.

Since then, they have been kept busy. Their key achievements include:

• Lisa Lovett (pictured in the middle) is an unofficial ‘artist-in-residence’ at Chester House Estate. Her Earthly Arts Studio offers people a safe space to discover the healing powers of pottery, painting and creative self-expression. The studio also brings in other artists for creative collaboration and, in time, will develop to enable Lisa to help groups that would benefit from her skills (for instance with mental health and wellbeing support).
• Chuck Middleton (stand-up artist, poet, podcaster) – has given poetry workshops into Woodnewton School as part of his project entitled Forging to Remember. Chuck has also been conducting interviews with residents to use within schools to support students’ knowledge of the history of Corby. He’s also been working with software company MBD to create an exhibition about the steel works in Corby called Steel Town Tales. This Virtual Reality experience that details the birth of Corby and the growth of the steel plant will run from 20 July-18 August at The Savoy Theatre in Corby.
• Artist Carole Miles has been out and about consulting with two different generations of residents to create her Heritage Accelerator project Above and Below. This collection of nature and wildlife-themed collages helps people explore their local heritage through creative interventions in the landscape, giving clues to the past and how Corby has evolved and help them understand and explain themselves.
• Phiona Richards (visual storyteller and maker of books and jewellery) has also been consulting about her project idea Roots of Rockingham: Reviving the Legacy of an Ancient Forest. This immersive arts project explores and celebrates the rich history, biodiversity, and cultural significance of Rockingham Forest. This project is structured into three interconnected phases, each offering unique insights into the forest’s past, present, and future.

Recently, the Accelerator partnership has upped a gear with a new opportunity for them to work with and support environmental heritage in the county.

Rockingham Forest Vision (RFV) is a ‘grass roots’ body that connects people to the natural cultural heritage of Rockingham Forest.

Now and for the first time, RFV will work with creative practitioners – UON’s Heritage Accelerators – who will lead arts and heritage workshops as part of a RFV competition for people to express what Rockingham Forest means to them. The competition is open to all and you can find out more here.

UON Heritage Projects and Partnerships Office Suzanne Oliver says: “Our first cohort of Heritage Accelerators have been busy engaging local communities about art, culture, history, literature in the Corby area thanks to their brilliant, eye and ear-catching projects. I am therefore delighted to announce that this new partnership with Rockingham Forest Vision is now up and running.

“It’s easy to forget that our heritage is not just about buildings and history – important as they are – but also includes our natural surroundings. Rockingham Forest is a prime example of what Northamptonshire has to offer and that we will support and promote using the power of art, history and heritage.”

Find out more about Heritage Accelerator projects at University of Northampton.