Northumberland National Park is working in partnership to support the North East arts sector by commissioning three emerging local artists to produce pieces for a new immersive geolocated soundwalk through the Northumbrian landscape along Hadrian’s Wall.
Collision & Conflict uses ECHOES: an interactive GPS-triggered sound app; users follow a 2-2.5hrs circular sound walk starting at Walltown Country Park and along Hadrian’s Wall national trail. Listeners experience the landscape through their headphones and hear music, sound, storytelling, and spoken word, connected to specific locations on the route. Locations include Walltown Country Park, Thirlwall Castle, Green Croft Arts, Greenhead, and Carvoran Roman Fort.
Green Croft Arts, a not-for-profit organisation based in Greenhead, which offers arts, culture, and wellbeing activities to rural communities, commissioned fourteen artists to create nine creative responses to the landscape. Each artist has a strong link to Northumberland and Cumbria, and were tasked with producing a piece in song, music, sound, story, spoken word, or poetry that explores the relationship between historical or archaeological conflict, and the issues that affect contemporary rural communities today.
The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre has supported three emerging artists; Iona Lane, Ellen Moran, and Emma Newrick in the development, implementation, and delivery of their commissions.
Following the recent virtual launch of Collision & Conflict, it is hoped that the easing on lockdown restrictions will allow visitors to experience the sound walk in the coming weeks and months, and provide a boost to the arts industry – which has suffered a significant setback following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Caroline Cope, Engagement Officer said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Green Croft Arts and to be playing our part in supporting a local organisation to bring a much-needed boost to the arts and local communities through the Collision & Conflict experience.
“The arts community in the North East has been one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, that’s why we felt it was necessary to help support three local emerging talents to not only make their work a reality but also to celebrate the wonderful arts culture and heritage of Northumberland.”
Collision & Conflict artist Ellen Moran said: “I’m over the moon to be working with Green Croft Arts and The Sill on this commission. As a previously Newcastle-based artist who moved to Haltwhistle this Spring, I’ve decided to write a piece of spoken word exploring the challenges that arise when people from urban backgrounds move to the countryside.
“As an emerging artist, it’s great to be supported throughout the process and I’m excited to be involved in this sound walk.”
Collision & Conflict would not have been possible without funding from; Arts Council England, Green Croft Arts, The Sill, and Northumberland National Park.
Green Croft Art’s Collision & Conflict sound walk runs until October 2021, for more information visit: https://www.greencroftonthewall.com.