A key thread of our work has been to support a range of creative projects – recognising the arts as a powerful means of engagement with floodplain meadows, their science and the solutions they can provide to the multiple crises of climate, biodiversity and wellbeing we face.

Art and stories are often what works best to change hearts and minds, and ultimately behaviours, towards healthier ecosystems and landscapes. Whether crafted by professional artists or offered as a participatory activity for a wider audience, art can offer an immersive and relatable means to nurture connection and action. Creative endeavours can illustrate why floodplain meadows matter, evoking emotions to move people in the way that scientific data may not deliver by itself.

Artists have been drawn to the visual and audible drama of floodplains utilising media such as paint, glass, tapestry and even sheep’s wool to tell the story of what floodplain meadows mean to us in the 21st century.

In 2021 the FMP ran an arts and crafts competition inviting people to showcase how they react to the meadows - using the 12 finalists artwork to create a beautiful calendar, which can be seen in the carousel below. We have also helped support community art projects such as with Meadow Arts and family workshops hosted by the Oxford University's Museum of Natural History. We will continue looking for opportunities to support creative projects - please do get in touch if you have a proposal you feel may be of interest.

To find out more about the arts and crafts projects we have been involved in, visit our arts projects page.