Arts & Ecology

Arts & Ecology is a new podcast all about the vital role art and culture play in creating a regenerative future. Each season we ask artists, authors, and curators one question. This season we ask, How can we tell better stories?    In this episode, Natasha is in conversation with author, environmentalist, and financier Ben Goldsmith.    Ben is a British environmentalist and financier. He is a leading light in the rewilding movement in Britain and Europe, as well as a pioneer of green investment. Ben and his wife, Jemima, are rewilding their farm in Somerset, and Ben has helped to establish a number of environmental initiatives, including the Environmental Funders’ Network, the Conservative Environment Network, Rewilding Britain, Beaver Trust, and the Conservation Collective, a global network of locally focused environmental foundations. Ben was a Director at DEFRA for five years, successfully advocating for a series of ground-breaking environmental restoration policies during his tenure, including the new Environmental Land Management scheme, the Nature for Climate Fund and the Species Reintroductions task force. The Iris Project was established by Ben Goldsmith and Kate Rothschild in partnership with the Global Greengrants Fund in loving memory of their daughter, Iris Goldsmith, a young environmentalist who loved the natural world. @bengoldsmith

Arts & Ecology is a new podcast all about the vital role art and culture play in creating a regenerative future. Each season we ask artists, authors, and curators one question. This season we ask, How can we tell better stories?    In this episode, Natasha speaks with author, mythologist, and pyschologist Sharon Blackie.   Dr. Sharon Blackie is an award-winning writer, psychologist and mythologist. Her highly acclaimed books, courses, lectures and workshops are focused on the development of the mythic imagination, and on the relevance of myths, fairy tales and folk traditions to the personal, cultural and environmental problems we face today. As well as writing five books of fiction and nonfiction, including the bestselling If Women Rose Rooted and her latest, Hagitude, her writing has appeared in anthologies, collections and in several international media outlets – among them the Guardian, the Irish Times, and the Scotsman. Her books have been translated into several languages, and she has been interviewed by the BBC, US public radio and other broadcasters on her areas of expertise. Her awards include the Roger Deakin Award, and a Creative Scotland Writer’s Award. Her next book, Wise Women: Myths and folklore in celebration of older women will be published by Virago in 2024. Sharon is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and has taught and lectured at several academic institutions, Jungian organisations, retreat centres and cultural festivals around the world. Find out more at www.sharonblackie.net.      

Arts and Ecology is a brand new podcast about the vital role art and culture plays in creating a regenerative future. This season we ask authors, artists, and curators one question: How can we tell better stories?   James Bridle is a writer, artist and technologist. Their artworks have been commissioned by galleries and institutions and exhibited worldwide and on the internet. Their writing has appeared in magazines and newspapers including Wired, the Atlantic, the New Statesman, the Guardian, and the Financial Times. They are the author of 'New Dark Age' (2018) and 'Ways of Being' (2022), and they wrote and presented "New Ways of Seeing" for BBC Radio 4 in 2019. Their work can be found at http://jamesbridle.com.    

Arts & Ecology is a new podcast all about the vital role art and culture play in creating a regenerative future. This season we ask artists, authors, anc curators one question: How can we tell better stories?   Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey (b. 1959/1959 England) are internationally acclaimed for creating works that intersect art, activism, architecture, biology, ecology and history.  Referencing memory and time, nature and culture, urban political ecologies, the climate emergency and degradation of the living planet, their time-based practice reveals an intrinsic bias towards process and event.  Processes of germination, growth and decay (organic and inorganic) feature in artworks that often evolve through extended research in response to people and place, interfacing their profound interest in local ecologies and global planetary concerns. They give high profile keynotes and public presentations and contribute writings and photographs to books and journals.  In 2019, the artists co-founded Culture Declares Emergency in response to the climate and ecological emergency. In 2021, one hundred Beuys’ Acorns trees were exhibited at Tate Modern to commemorate Beuys’s centennial and Tate’s declaration of climate emergency. Currently Beuys’ Acorns is residing in London on Global Generation’s Paper Garden and Story Garden.  Each tree is contained in a specialist Air-pot that has enabled both portability of the trees and ensured their on-going welfare through healthy root development. Public exchanges, keynotes, conversations and live open-ended research are integral to their approach and practice, and Ackroyd & Harvey give many high-profile keynote lectures and presentations, notably Declaring Emergency: Museums and the Climate Crisis, Courtauld Institute of Art, London; Big Botany, Spencer Museum, Kansas; How to be a COPtomist, Kings College, London; On Energy, Banff Centre, Canada; Environmental Funders Network, Cambridge, UK; COCE/Conference on Communication and Environment,University of Colorada, Boulder; ‘Nobel Laureate Symposium’ on Creativity, Leadership and Climate Change at London’s Science Museum; ‘Art + Alchemy’Trinity College, Cambridge; EARTH: Art of  a Changing World, Royal Academy of Arts, London; Smith School, Oxford; London School of Economics, UK; the Royal Society, London; Royal Institute of British Architects, London; Tate Britain, London; Royal National Theatre, London; Manchester International Festival, UK; Courtauld Institute, London; Harvard University, Boston, USA; San Francisco Institute of Arts, USA; Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, USA.  

Arts & Ecology is a new podcast all about the vital role art and culture play in creating a regenerative future. This season we ask authors, artists and curators one question, “How can we tell better stories?” Not just about the many crises we face but about the regenerative future so many of us are working hard to build.   This week, we speak with author Katherine May. Katherine is an internationally bestselling author and podcaster living in Whitstable, UK. Her most recent book, Enchantment became an instant New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller. Her internationally bestselling hybrid memoir Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times was adapted as BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week, and was shortlisted for the Porchlight and Barnes and Noble Book of the Year. The Electricity of Every Living Thing, her memoir of a midlife autism diagnosis, was adapted as an audio drama by Audible. Other titles include novels such as The Whitstable High Tide Swimming Club, and The Best, Most Awful Job, an anthology of essays about motherhood which she edited. Her journalism and essays have appeared in a range of publications including The New York Times, The Observer and Aeon. Katherine’s podcast, How We Live Now, ranks in the top 1% worldwide, and she has been a guest presenter for On Being’s The Future of Hope series. Her next book, Enchantment, will be published in 2023. Katherine lives with her husband, son, two cats and a dog. She loves walking, sea-swimming and pickling slightly unappealing things.

  Arts and Ecology is a podcast about the vital role art and culture play in creating a regenerative future. This season we ask one question, “How can we tell better stories?” And not just about the many crises we face but about the regenerative future so many of us are working hard to build. Join your host, Natasha Rivett-Carnac, for these in-depth conversations with artists, curators, and authors across a range of subjects and discover how you might bring a fresh perspective on story telling into your own practice

Arts & Ecology is a brand new podcast about the vital role art and culture play in creating a regenerative future. This week, we speak with writer Liz Jensen. Liz is the author of eight novels including the eco-thrillers The Rapture and The Uninvited. She is a founder member of Extinction Rebellion’s Writers Rebel, a literary movement using words and actions to highlight the climate and ecological emergency. Her work has been short-listed for the Guardian Fiction Award, nominated three times for the Women’s Fiction prize, adapted for film, theatre and radio, and translated into twenty languages. We talk to Liz about how our attitudes to climate change has changed since she wrote The Rapture, her conflicts and ideas around hope, what writers can do to respond to the ecological crisis, and her latest book about grief If you’d like to contact us with ideas about how we can take this podcast forward in the next season, you can DM Natasha on Instagram @natasharivettcarnac or email her at natasha.rivettcarnac@dartington.org 

This week on Arts & Ecology we do something a little different. Mike and Natasha discuss the new Arts & Ecology MA at Dartington Arts School, and you can hear the voices of our students at the end of the show. Mike and Natasha cover topics like the climate crisis, how to connect to the more-than-human, and what aesthetic tools can do to address the many interlocking crises we face today.   Students you hear at the end of the episode, in order of appearance: Darren Bender Flick Ferdinando Ibby Lanfear Rachel Wright Peter Wells Philippe Blanchard Katie Marshall Margherita Muriti   To find out more about the Arts & Ecology MA go to https://campus.dartington.org/arts-and-ecology/     This week at Dartington      At the Barn Cinema Light year 03/08/22-11/08/22 Thor: Love and Thunder 03/08/22-10/08/22 Minions: the Rise of Gru, 04/08/22-10/08/22 Push, 04/08/22-11/08/22 Fire of Love, 05/08/22-11/08/22     Gongs in the Garden 04/08/22-29/08/22     In the gallery, Land:Scapes, Jason Singh 04/08/22-15/09/22   Land:Scapes, presented as part of Jason Singh’s year-long residency here, is a series of field recordings which explore the hidden sound worlds of the Dartington estate.   Great Lawn Sessions, 04/18/22-18/08/22   Join us for fantastic live music on the lawn outside the White Hart, featuring some of the outstanding artists and participants from our Summer Festival   Carolyn Sampson, 04/08/22   Acclaimed soprano Carolyn Sampson and pianist Gavin Roberts present an unmissable recital, “A Writer’s Voice,” paying tribute to the poets whose words have inspired composers such as Schubert, Poulenc and more   Handel’s Athalia, 05/08/22   Acclaimed conductor Laurence Cummings, directs our Dartington Festival Baroque Orchestra and Chorus, and a star line-up of soloists including Carolyn Sampson and Andrew Watts in Handel’s fiery and dramatic oratorio, Athalia   Brodsky Quartet, 06/08/22   The Brodsky Quartet celebrates its 50th birthday in Dartington with the complete Shostakovich string quartets. The cycle begins with the first three of the Russian composer’s quarters.   Saturday Market   Come along to our weekly market showcasing the best local food, craft, music and more!   To find out about all these events go to the Dartington website   To learn more about the ecological crisis and the vital role art and culture plays in creating a regenerative future, subscribe to the podcast on Apple or Spotify

Arts and Ecology is a brand new podcast about the vital role art and culture play in creating a regenerative future.   This season we ask authors, curators, and artists one question: What is the artists’ role during an ecological crisis?   In this episode, we interview Jay Griffiths. Jay is the award-winning author of six critically acclaimed books, including her latest book, Nemesis: My Friend. In this interview Jay and Natasha discuss her book Wild. Wild took seven years to research and write. It is an evocation of the songlines of the earth, the result of long journeys among indigenous cultures, including staying with Amazonian shamans and Inuit people, visiting sea gypsies and staying with the freedom fighters of West Papua. It explores the words and meanings which shape ideas of wildness, arguing that wildness is intrinsic to the health of the human spirit.   WHAT’S ON AT DARTINGTON   Dartington Summer School and Festival, 23/07/22 Over 60 concerts and events. One glorious summer of music.   In the Barn Cinema,  Elvis, 19/07/22 to 28/07/22 NT Live: Prima Facie, 21/07/2022 to 18/08/2022 Brian and Charles, 22/07/2022 to 03/08/2022 Lightyear, 23/07/2022 to 11/08/2022 Minions: The Rise of Gru, 30/07/22 to 10/08/22   Gongs in the Garden, 21/07/22 to 29/09/22 Throughout the summer, gong musician Roger Hall will be sending the atmospheric and ancient sound of gongs into our beautiful Gardens.   In the Gallery Land:Scapes, presented as part of Jason Singh’s year-long residency here, is a series of field recordings which explore the hidden sound worlds of the Dartington estate.   Family Garden Sessions, 28/07/22-02/08/2022 Join us in our beautiful community gardens for a series of family gardening and craft workshops this summer.   Family Song, Thu 28th Jul 2022 A sing-along for the whole family, with folksongs and harmonies from around the world. Led by Tara Franks. Ages 8+   Gavin Bryar and Friends, Thu 28th Jul 2022 An intimate evening revealing composer Gavin Bryars’ love for early music, with John Potter (tenor), Jacob Herringman (lute), Jane Chapman (harpsichord), and members of Stile Antico and Fretwork.   Tots Tunes, Fri 29th Jul 2022 Sing, dance and shake in this fun, interactive parent and baby class led by cellist Tara Franks. Ages 0-5   Monteverdi Vespers, Fri 29th Jul 2022 A sumptuous performance of Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers, with Summer School artists and participants directed by Andrew Griffiths. This promises to be a musical extravaganza in inimitable Dartington style!   Enseble Moliere, Sat 30th of July Recently selected as BBC Radio 3’s New Generation Baroque Ensemble, Ensemble Moliere perform an enticing programme of 17th and 18th-century French music.   Saturday market Come along to our weekly market showcasing the best in local food, crafts, music and more!   To find out about all these events go to the Dartington website To learn more about the ecological crisis and the vital role art and culture plays in creating a regenerative future, subscribe to the podcast on Apple or Spotify

Welcome to another episode of Arts & Ecology. This is our third episode and we're so glad you are joining us.    Arts & Ecology is a brand new podcast about the vital role art and culture play in creating a regenerative future.   In this episode, we talk to Dartington Arts & Ecology artist-in-residence, Jason Singh. Jason is a sound artist, nature beatboxer, producer, DJ, facilitator and performer. His work is inspired by the natural world and includes: live performance, sound installations, live film accompaniment, radio broadcasts, sound design and creating music derived from biodata of plants and trees. Jason’s collaborations and commissions include a diverse range of organisations and artists including Sir David Attenborough, BBC, V&A Museum, and Kew Gardens. Jason is currently an Arts & Ecology artist-in-residence at Dartington.   Jason and Mike discuss the importance of sound and listening for creating kinship with, and between, the human and the more-than-human worlds. Jason shares powerful personal stories from his past which were formative in his journey into a world where deep listening underpins all aspects of his work. Jason also discusses a new piece of work he is co-creating with an ancient yew tree in the grounds of Dartington Trust – using equipment that translates biodata from plants into music and soundscapes from the surrounding area, Jason takes the listener on a sonic journey into a world that can only be apprehended through sound.   WHAT'S ON AT DARTINGTON THIS WEEK In the Gallery  Land:Scapes, presented as part of Jason Singh’s year-long residency here, is a series of field recordings which explore the hidden sound worlds of the Dartington estate. Dartington Summer School and Festival, 23/07/22 Over 60 concerts and events. One glorious summer of music. In the Barn Cinema: Top Gun Maverick, 19/07/22 to 20/07/22 Elvis, 19/07/22 to 28/07/22 NT Live: Prima Facie, 21/07/2022 to 18/08/2022 Brian and Charles, 22/07/2022 to 03/08/2022 Lightyear, 23/07/2022 to 11/08/2022 Gongs in the Garden, 21/07/22 to 29/09/22 Throughout the summer, gong musician Roger Hall will be sending the atmospheric and ancient sound of gongs into our beautiful Gardens. The City Musick, 23/07/22 Dartington’s favourite early wind ensemble gets our month-long music festival off to a joyous start with a programme of dances and polyphony written for 16th-century German court and town bands. As always, Come along to our weekly Saturday market showcasing the best in local food, crafts, music and more! To find out about all these events go to the Dartington website   To learn more about the ecological crisis and the vital role art and culture plays in creating a regenerative future, subscribe to the podcast on Apple or Spotify

Welcome to another episode of Arts & Ecology. This is our second episode and we're so glad you are joining us.  Arts & Ecology is a brand new podcast about the vital role art and culture play in creating a regenerative future. In this episode, we talk to the historic Dartington Summer School Artistic Director, Sara Mohr-Pietsch. Sara is a music broadcaster, curator and writer. She is one of the best-known voices on BBC Radio 3, where she hosts the experimental late-night show, Night Tracks, and has presented Breakfast, Music Matters and Hear and Now. Sara and Natasha discuss how the power of listening is a transformative act for anyone interested in mitigating the ecological crisis. She shares with listeners her curatorial approach and how she creates events and experiences that are more democratic and bring people together for a unique experience. Sara also discusses with Natasha her own journey with nature and how she is raising her daughter in this new era of climate emergency. Listen to find out more about Sara’s extraordinary experience and insightful ideas.  WHAT'S ON AT DARTINGTON THIS WEEK Ways With Words, 12/07/2022 to 17/07/2022 This annual festival, which takes place in the Dartington Trust grounds, exists to celebrate and promote the power and potential of the written and spoken word.   In the gallery, Marianne de Trey, 12/07/2022 to 15/07/2022 A retrospective of the work of Marianne de Trey, showing the breadth of her talent and skill as a potter and artist - from unique one off pieces to sets of tableware; stoneware to porcelain.   Short Course, Finding Your Voice, 15/07/22 Discover who you are through song: this is a chance to find your own authentic voice with the support of a community of like-minded people    In the Barn Cinema, a terrifically entertaining biopic of the iconic singer, played with verve, wild physicality and burn-the-screen-down charisma by Austin Butler   Come along to our weekly Saturday market showcasing the best in local food, crafts, music, and more!   To find out about all these events go to the Dartington website   To learn more about the ecological crisis and the vital role art and culture plays in creating a regenerative future, subscribe to the podcast on Apple or Spotify. 

In this inaugural episode, Arts and Ecology co-host Natasha Rivett-Carnac and O + O Executive Producer Sarah Thomas discuss “Our Time on Earth,” a major multimedia exhibition currently running at the Barbican in London with co-curator Caroline Till. Till is the co-founder of FRANKLINTILL, a research agency exploring design, colour, and material innovation for a sustainable future.    You’ll also hear from two teams who collaborated on exhibition pieces. Jonathan Chippindale, CEO of the award-winning digital retail agency, Holition, and George Monbiot, writer, Guardian columnist and environmental activist bring us The World Beneath Our Feet. The piece was inspired by “The Wonders of Soil,” the first chapter in Monbiot’s latest book, Regenesis: Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet.   Next, we hear from Anab Jain and Jon Ardern, the co-founders of Superflux, an award-winning experimental design agency creating visceral experiences that bring future possibilities into the present. Their exhibition piece, a lavish multi-species banquet, is entitled, Refuge for Resurgence.   -    Notes and Resources    To explore more about the interconnection between art, ecology, and culture, subscribe to the  Dartington Arts School’s podcast Arts and Ecology.   Natasha Rivett-Carnac, curator, Arts and Ecology, Dartington School of Arts    The exhibit Our Time on Earth, created by Caroline Till and Kate Franklin, will be at the Barbican in London from Thursday, 5 May to Monday, 29 Aug 2022.    Caroline Till is Co-Founder of FRANKLINTILL. Her book, co-written with business partner and co-curator, Kate Franklin, is Radical Matter: Rethinking Materials for a Sustainable Future and can be purchased here or in the US, here.   Jonathan Chippindale, is CEO of Holition.    You can get George Monbiot’s latest book, Regenisis: Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet, here. Or in the US, here.   Anab Jain and John Arden are co-founders of Superflux. You can listen to Jain and Arden’s full sound piece accompanying their exhibition piece, Refuge for Resurgence, here.   This week at Dartington July 6th - 9th: Dartington Playgoers will be giving an open air performance of Shakespeare's as you like it. July 9th: Mbira player Millicent Chopin performs storytelling through music and dance. Make sure to come along to our Saturday market on 9th July, showcasing the best local food and more. July 8th - 17th: Ways with Words, a festival of words and ideas will be on the Dartington estate. In the gallery we have a retrospective of potter Marianne de Trey.  

Arts and Ecology is a brand new podcast about the vital role art and culture play in creating a regenerative future. This season we ask one question, "What is the artists' role during an ecological emergency?" We interview authors, curators, and artists. It's hosted by Natasha Rivett-Carnac, Curator of Arts & Ecology at Dartington Trust, and Mike Edwards, Senior Lecturer at Dartington Arts School and Chief Listening Officer at Sound Matters.