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Rethinking Regional Arts, Crafts, Folklore and Music through participation, partnership and performance

The arts, crafts, folklore and music of the South Downs come from land-workers, shepherds, fishers, farmers, traders, makers, writers, story-tellers and songsters. They express life with the chalk, cliffs, turf and clouds of the region, including as populations, industries and landscapes have changed over time. Investigating these in partnership with local heritage, council, land and cultural organisations, we rethink ways to re-story development from an inclusive perspective and where natural, cultural and regional heritages relate.

This project will enhance the impact of a range of research projects across the ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ«. In exploring the distinctive regional cultures of East and West Sussex, we hope to enhance local civic engagement and sustainable development in ways which benefit our partner organisations. We will be working under three headings from 2024-2026. 

1. Diversifying Ditchling: Sharing new arts and crafts stories within and beyond the Guild
2. Storying a New Centre for Downland Cultural Heritage: Black Robin Farm
3. Composing sustainable landscapes in the South Coast through film, folk song and farming heritage. 

Sussex sheep. Photo by Stuart Robinson

 

Project people include:

: Principal Investigator      : Co-Investigator

: Co-Investigator       : Heritage Consultant and Project Manager

This project is supported by the Centre for Life History and Life Writing Research, the Sussex Centre for Modernist Studies and the South Coast Sustainability group within the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme.

We also acknowledge and thank our funder, the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Impact Acceleration Account (IAA).

Upcoming event:

Whose South Downs?

Creative and critical explorations of Sussex landscapes and seascapes with Writing Our Legacy

Wed 30 Oct 2024, 14.00-16.00, Venue: The Meeting House ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ«

Still from ‘We Hear You Now’ © Bip Mistry, Lilliana Gibbs and Alinah Azadeh

Free, all welcome, Disabled access, Registration required at:

Discover the many heritages in local landscapes with artists, writers, countryside walkers and advocates from Writing Our Legacy, an arts and heritage organisation that enables Black, Asian and ethnically diverse people of colour to tell their stories through writing and the creative arts.

We will hear from esteemed speakers including Alinah Azadeh, Amy Zamarripa Solis, Sense Turner, Pauline Rutter and the event will include readings, singing, discussion and a short screening from , an immersive soundwalk between Seaford and Eastbourne via the Seven Sisters and Cuckmere Haven.

Optional follow-on creative campus walk 16:00-17:00

Participants will then enjoy the opportunity to go on a short creative walk, make and talk, on the campus’ boundary. Refreshments provided! This is an in-person event only.

It is part of the Sussex Retold project, supported by the AHRC IAA, the Centre for Life History and Life Writing Research, Writing Our Legacy and Black@Sussex. We Hear You Now was supported by the South Downs National Park Authority and Arts Council England.