Community arts programme 2024-25 launches

10 February 2025

The North Pennines National Landscape team’s Adders Up project has launched its community arts programme for 2024-25 having awarded one commission bursary and three micro-bursaries. The programme will see the commission bursary artist offer a scheme of events and activities take place in the North Pennines National Landscape in spring 2025. These activities will encourage people to engage with adder conservation in unique and creative ways. The artists introduce themselves and their projects below.

Commission bursary artist, Jessica Cooper

“I am a potter living and working in Alston for the last ten years. I make tableware that uses local materials from the North Pennines, in wild clay slips and glaze materials. My work references the landscape and the unique way of life on the moor. I teach weekly ceramic classes to adults and work with local schools.

I am excited to be working with North Pennines National Landscape team’s Adders Up project to deliver a series of workshops with primary schools and local community groups. In the workshops, we will create a series of collaboratively made and decorated coil pots that explore the serpentine through the lens of landscape and ancient pottery. We will be working in red earthenware clay, with local slips and traditional slipware glazes to tell the story of adders in this landscape and our hopes for their continued future.”

Micro-bursary artist, Anna Osborne

“Felting has been my creative outlet for many years, but it wasn’t until 2019 and the arrival of a dog in the house, that I began to think of it as anything more than a hobby. The need to find a solution to the problem of ‘unfound’ tennis balls, drove me to experiment with humble and amply available local wool. Many trials later and I was happy that I had created a durable and environmentally-friendly alternative to tennis balls. Just as importantly, my technique of felting in the washing machine meant that they could be made quickly and cost-effectively. I jokingly refer to myself as ‘The Lazy Felter’ and I started to think about what else I could achieve with similar techniques.

Being inspired by the natural local environment, I began making larger ‘rocks’ and ‘geodes’ as well as 2D art. Problem-solving and experimentation continue to fuel this exploration. I have led numerous workshops across the region to make felted geodes as well as felted snakes. As part of this micro-bursary, I will explore a variety of felting techniques to capture the texture and pattern of the adder in a series of 2D pieces.”

Micro-bursary artist, Caroline Steven

“My name is Caroline Steven. I was born in Northumberland and I have lived in the North Pennines for 16 years. I have a great interest in expressing myself in an intuitive, experimental and abstract way which is deeply influenced by my human emotions. A few images of my work can be found on Instagram: @carolinestevenart

With this bursary, I intend to produce handmade prints (block and monotype) to be displayed in a long rectangular form, emulating the form of the snake. The phrase ‘let me tell you – a snake is never just a snake’ resonates with me deeply as I explore my chosen mediums and the various mythologies surrounding snakes. From this exploration I have identified seven themes that resonate with me and that I wish to explore – fertility, Eve (loss of innocence), Medusa (victim), Buddha and Naga (protection), healing, transformation, and Cosmos (infinity). The final work will consist of images inspired by the serpentine, exploring the colours, patterns, textures and forms of the snake as it appears throughout mythology. Ultimately it will be a celebration of humanity’s interaction with the snake throughout time.”

Micro-bursary artist, Dan Walls

“Hello, I’m Dan Walls, an eclectic mixed-media artist living and working in the north east. Although I mainly produce large-scale murals through my business, Illumination Wall Art, I often try to produce other work of varying media to both challenge myself and express my passion for causes such as the North Pennines National Landscape team’s Adders Up project.

As a would-be pagan, I am such a huge fan of the natural world and I have a fondness for our native animals and folklore. Sadly, despite my efforts, I have never seen an adder in the wild and I fear not many of us will have the opportunity to before too long. I have only ever heard stories about these fascinating creatures and, as such, I think they have a mythical quality about them and, at present, they are folklore to me.

When this opportunity came up I really wanted to be involved. Having adopted many street art and fine art techniques my work takes on many forms and styles, which has allowed me to produce lots of different pieces in various residencies. I often work with a wide range of media such as spray paint and markers. Having the opportunity to work in my particular way on a project like this could be a wonderful juxtaposition. To see more of my work click here.”

Read more about the adders and art here.

The Adders Up project is led by the North Pennines National Landscape team and has been awarded funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Northumbrian Water’s Branch Out Fund.