Six heritage sites host art trail of natural brilliance
A NEW art trail is encouraging visitors to take the “time to connect” with heritage and nature.
The Time to Connect trail features six artworks created and installed by artist and sculptor Chris Campbell and based at Papplewick Pumping Station, Newstead Abbey, RSPB Sherwood Forest, Rufford Abbey, Vicar Water Country Park and Bestwood Country Park.
The county’s Inspire cultural services and the National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported Miner2major Landscape Partnership Scheme teamed up on the project to connect artists, venues and community groups by placing artworks in key locations across Sherwood Forest.
The trail is the result of Inspire and Miner2major’s work with The Big Draw and is inspired by the 2023 theme, Drawing With Senses, to connect communities with nature and the world around us.
Artists Mandy Keating, Tracey Meek and Chris Campbell teamed up with community groups and schoolchildren to create drawings inspired by Nottinghamshire’s heritage and landscapes, and the artwork from their workshops has been used by Chris in his designs for the sculptures along the trail.
Groups involved in the project include children from the 28th Nottingham Boys Brigade and Girls Association, Newstead Primary School, Beardall Fields Primary and Nursery School, Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy, 1st Edwinstowe Rainbows and Brownies and 1st Clipstone Beavers, Cubs and Scouts.
The trail is part of a national project led by renowned portrait photographer Alistair Morrison. Time to Connect is the biggest undertaking of his career – a fiveyear journey which will take him around the country in a converted camper van to capture a portrait of the post-brexit, post-pandemic UK by photographing places and people from all walks of life. Alistair is connecting with artists, sculptors, makers, designers, gardeners and creatives in each of the UK’S 100 counties and Nottinghamshire’s Time to Connect trail is the first of these artistic projects to be completed.
Alistair said: “Time to Connect is a project of passion - it allows art to connect us all.”
Councillor Emma Oldham, Portfolio holder for environmental services and biodiversity at Newark and Sherwood District Council said: “The incredible sculpture at Vicar Water Country Park was inspired by the artwork created by Clipstone Scout group after they learned all about the nature in the area. How lovely that Vicar Water, home to such a variety of wildlife and biodiversity, is now home to art inspired by those very inhabitants!”
Councillor Rowan Cozens, deputy leader of the district council said: “I am so excited to see the sculptures installed at each of the six heritage sites, including our Green Flag Award-winning Vicar Water Country Park.
“The trail is going to be such a wonderful way for people to connect to the environment around us, and see how art is all about drawing inspiration from the world around us and letting creativity take over.”
The Time to Connect Art Trail booklet is available to download from the Inspire website. Print copies are available at all Inspire libraries, all six sculpture sites and Nottingham Tourism Centre.