When does an individual consider themselves connected to a landscape?
Have you ever tried to listen to the land itself?
Heaf is a creative-led project investigating individual connections to land, and landscape, in Cumbria’s Eskdale Valley. Alongside the people living, working and loving this rich corner of the National Park poet Melissa Davies will consider how we might bring land itself into the conversation.
Over autumn/winter conversations with local groups, partners and individuals will be recorded and from these a collection of poetry will be born. Every participant is invited to contribute material for a run of paper made specially for HEAF. A co-created exhibition and performance will offer further opportunity for participation, to consider how—and in fact whether—local people feel connected not only to Eskdale but to the land itself.
This is the research and development phase of a long-term project, exploring ideas of preservation in our increasingly digitalised existence as well as creative ways to represent non-human perspectives. Participants will be a mix of community groups, organisations and individuals. These voices will be central to development of project outcomes through feedback and co-creation opportunities.
Collecting oral material
October | November | December
Paper making trials using material from Eskdale & surrounds
January
Visual poetry workshops at Florence Arts
February
Performance night to share poems and gather feedback
March
Co-created exhibition of project so far at Florence Arts
April | May
Want to get involved?
Anyone who considers themselves to have connection to Eskdale Valley can contribute by volunteering to be interviewed; participating in a workshop or simply attending a performance. Details of participation opportunities will be published here & on Instagram.
Check back here, follow the project partners or contact Melissa to express your interest.
- Journal #5 | How much of our connection is storytelling?
The oldest stories were told to connect people: to each other, to a place, to a way of life or… Read more: Journal #5 | How much of our connection is storytelling? - Journal #4 | Reflections on first recordings
Immediately I understand how much this project will be about the individuals who participate as it is about the valley.… Read more: Journal #4 | Reflections on first recordings - Journal #3 | Moss teaches me that connection is fluid
I experience fear when the valley vanishes entirely into mist. At the point when I no longer see undulating curtains… Read more: Journal #3 | Moss teaches me that connection is fluid - Journal #2 | Finding a balance of voices
What outcome will spontaneous conversations have? Will they differ from pre-arranged encounters where participants have had time to gather thoughts… Read more: Journal #2 | Finding a balance of voices - Journal #1 | The distinction between ‘land’ & ‘landscape’
Should they be used interchangeably? These terms I’m grappling with to express what connection could be with, is with. I… Read more: Journal #1 | The distinction between ‘land’ & ‘landscape’
Phase 2 | Winter 2026…
Using feedback from participants; learning developed during R&D; collaboration with partners and research, phase two of Heaf will see development of the initial performance into both a live sharing of voices of the valley and engagement with the published manuscript. Participants will have the opportunity to contribute to a performance which will visit rural communities across Northern England to bring more voices to the conversation around connection to land and other themes that come from phase one.
HEAF | Project Partners
Melissa Davies 