We are planning to launch our new and exciting Arts and Crafts competition, inspired by all things floodplain meadow in March 2021.
Floodplain meadows are part of a quintessentially English landscape that would have been found throughout Britain's river valleys 100 years ago. Throughout the spring and early summer, they are awash with wildflowers and waving grasses, humming with insects and the birds that depend on them. These habitats can contain more than 40 different plant species per one metre square and prove essential as floodplains, allowing floodwater to spread out – working for humans WITH nature.
Sadly, 97% of meadows have been lost in the last 100 years. This causes a biodiversity loss, a lack of flood storage, reduced carbon storage capacity, plus many other issues. Through the competition, we want to raise awareness of floodplain meadows and convince Government that they are the best use of floodplains on lowland rivers and should be seen as part of a package of natural climate solutions. That is where you come in!
The competition
We would love to see your responses to floodplain meadows and perhaps some of these issues, through art. We are inviting you to visit a floodplain meadow near you and be inspired (floodplain meadows can be found through our map here http://www.floodplainmeadows.org.uk/about-meadows/meadow-map but not all have public access, so please do check. The themes we are interested in particularly are:
- The role of floodplain meadows in managing climate change
- The importance of floodplain meadows for nature
- The contribution of floodplain meadows in a sustainable agricultural system.
- Letting rivers flood onto floodplains
How to enter
1. Visit a floodplain meadow.
2. Create a piece of art based on your visit. For example:
- Photography
- Poetry & Creative Writing
- Drawing, Painting & Mixed media
- Film, Sound & Music
- 3D/sculptural e.g. ceramic/knitted/wire/other
- Other – these are just ideas, so feel free to use your imagination!
3. Submit your entry online (the deadline will be around the end of August, but final details to be confirmed) We will ask you to submit a photograph of your artwork for judging initially.
Prizes
1. Publicity for your work:
- the 12 winning entries that are suitable for this purpose will be made into a calendar for 2021.
- We will host an exhibition so artwork can go on display close to North Meadow National Nature Reserve, Wiltshire during October 2020 (location tbc).
- Our favourite submissions will be used on postcards, posters, banners, social media, on our website and in other material to promote floodplain meadows. All submissions if appropriate will be put on our website.
- Artists will be accredited for all their work that we use.
2. A £250 voucher to spend with the brilliant Field Studies Council https://www.field-studies-council.org/
The small print
Size
All 2D work such as painting, drawing, projected videos (including moving images and installation) must be 120x120cm in size max.
All three-dimensional work, including sculptures, ceramics, and mixed media artworks, must be 80x80x80cm max in size.
FILM & SOUND: Please upload your work to YouTube, or send an MP4 file/WeTransfer and send us a link to share.
Other: Send a picture of artwork, or document if written work in the first instance by following instructions through the on-line submission form.
Exhibition
Numbers selected for the exhibition will depend on how many entries there are, and sizes of entries etc. We will try and accommodate as many as possible for the exhibition, and will not limit it other than for space reasons. You will be required to bring your artwork to the exhibition and collect it yourself at the end. We do not have any holding space. Posting it can be arranged, but this is at your own risk.
