Place, Practice, Purpose,

Practice, Place, Purpose was a one-day symposium exploring the purpose and practice of place-based contemporary arts commissioning. Led by stewardship organisations National Trust, Forestry Commission England, Canal & River Trust and Churches Conservation Trust in partnership with Exeter University.

Traditionally presented in urban spaces and institutions, the contemporary arts experience has, for several years, been increasingly sited outside these traditional settings – in forests, waterways, churches, landscapes and heritage buildings. Through key commissioners such as the stewardship organisations listed above, and with the support of the Arts Councils of England and Wales, contemporary arts practice has been employed to create purposeful encounters, enrich experiences, tell new stories and ultimately seeks to contribute towards the health and wellbeing of the nation. This seminar both showcased and interrogated the ‘practice of place’ and its artistic and instrumental aims, through a series of provocations, respondents and debate. 

Throughout the day delegates had the opportunity to hear from Grace Davies, Contemporary Programmes Manager, National Trust; Tim Eastop, Producer, Arts on the Waterways Programme, Canal & River Trust; Anthony Bennett, Development Director, The Churches and Conservation Trust and Silvia Bordin, Arts Development Programme Manager, Forestry Commission England, who each explored Practice, Place, Purpose in the contexts of their respective organisational programmes. 

Invited Speakers included:

• Keynote byKatherine Clarke, MUF Architecture/art
• Professor Andrew Newman,Prof of Cultural Gerontology at the University of Newcastle;
• Laurie Peake, Director ofSuper Slow Way,
• Dr Beverley Hawkins,Director of Education, Management/Organisation Studies, University of Exeter Business School;
• Chrissie Tiller,a writer, thinker, teacher and advisor with an extensive history of working through collaborative and social practice.

A storytelling picnic lunch was be served by artists Natasha Rosling and Vilma Loustarinen as a shared celebration of the local landscape and an exploration of the poetic connections between food, place and the human body.