The leading vision behind this work is our interconnectivity as global citizens – the language of art can cross boundaries, unite communities and seek to provide sustainable solutions to world problems

Pete and Sue Flowers, Directors of Green Close

See why we think this is important here: https://vimeo.com/69466761

The Global Arts Village is a sustainable concept for Green Close to develop its global connections and work towards more international collaborations, exchanges and opportunities for artists who work in a socially engaged way.

The concept of artists as catalysts for social change is at the heart of this work. We believe that solutions to world problems cannot necessarily be found in government powerhouses and business boardrooms but within the knowledge and creativity of the local – the farmer, the teacher, the child, the engineer, the environmentalist, the social worker and the artist all working towards understanding how we can do things better for our communities and the environments in which we live.

Confluence of Rivers – street performance at Green Close

We believe that by developing international contemporary arts practice within our rural context we can develop a globally relevant language as a means of sharing creativity, developing an awareness of cultural diversity and enabling wider environmental understanding; taking local solutions into a new global arena.

We have developed close ties with studios and artists’ groups globally, in particular with Chile, France, Germany, Mexico and Spain and have ambitions to develop further connections with Japan.

What We Want To Do:

The Global Arts Village will be a unique education and learning innovation that will establish lasting connections between rural communities and people on different continents. It will be a vital and lively exchange network for communities and artists from around the world that live, work and create in the rural context. It will connect and inspire people to explore complex social, environmental, ecological and cultural issues in unusual ways, and to think internationally and be adventurous.

The Global Arts Village (50% of the world’s population still live in rural communities) will be an inspirational hub with a base in Bowland, that will create a learning and education network, which spans the globe.

The Global Arts Village will highlight how people around the world:

  1. Explore rural diversity and a sense of global connectivity
  2. Reflect and express changes in rural environments, ecologies and economies
  3. Tackle issues such as rural isolation, rural regeneration and a lack of community cohesion
  4. View the relationship between urban and rural, town and country
  5. Deal with and tackle the issue of environmental sustainability
  6. Celebrate and develop a global awareness of cultural diversity issues

The creation of the Global Arts Village will provide an unequivocal statement about the value, quality, role and significance of culture created in a rural context.

Prabhim Villareesh performs a newly commissioned work in collaboration with Sue Flowers for Annubhaava -Feeling the Earth exhibition at Mid Pennine Arts 2007

What We Have Done So Far…

Between 2013-2014 we undertook a period of research and development funded by Arts Council England. This led us to establish our ambition, and grow the number of artists who wanted to connect with us.

We have worked with artists from America, Canada, Ghana, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, South Africa, Spain, Sudan, Ukraine and India to name but a few. Green Close has commissioned work by artists from Mexico, Japan, Ghana and India, and artists based at Green Close have exhibited and taken part in residencies in countries including America, Denmark, Egypt, France, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, Serbia and South Africa.

Please visit our Facebook page to connect with this project here https://www.facebook.com/Global-Arts-Village-246176932190125/

View a film about our unique landscape, cultural heritage and the artists who work here