The Evaluator is delighted to be working with a new client, National Landscapes, on their exciting national project, Nature Calling.

National Landscapes are the new name for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Nature Calling is a £2 million national project that celebrates the natural beauty of England’s National Landscapes, formerly known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

The project aims to:

– Listen to communities

– Ensure landscapes are inclusive

– Engage new audiences

– Inspire the National Landscape’s family

– Address the climate crisis

The project is a partnership between: The National Landscape Association, Activate Performing Arts, Poetry School, and Six regional National Landscapes hubs.

National Landscapes explain:

“Co-delivered with Activate Performing Arts as executive creative producers and working with writers, musicians, visual artists, and theatre-makers, Nature Calling aims to inspire new communities across England to connect with National Landscapes, increasing people’s access to nature, improving their wellbeing, and inspiring a sense of belonging in these special places.

Nature Calling marks the first time Defra has invested in the arts on a national scale and it is the first time National Landscapes teams have come together in such numbers to deliver an arts programme.”

The project invites artists and writers to respond to a brief and ultimately to co-create artworks inspired by the landscapes. The artworks will be shared with the public in a Season of Art from May to October 2025.

The project is funded by: Arts Council England, Defra (Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs), and National Landscapes in England.

National Landscapes add:

“The programme will bring together the 34 National Landscapes in England, local arts organisations, and community groups from within a 30-minute journey time of their nearby National Landscape.

They will work together to co-create artworks inspired by these iconic places and the results will then be shared with the public in a Season of Art from May to October 2025, reaching an audience of tens of thousands.

National Landscapes are the UK’s nearby countryside.”

– 66% of people in England (44 million) live within 30 minutes of a National Landscape

– Over 1 million people live within them

– At least 170 million people visit every year

– Nature Calling aims to encourage even more communities to feel welcome to enjoy these special places on their own terms

The Evaluator is supporting the project to collect evaluation materials and really focus in on monitoring all the activity which will be taking place.