100 artworks. 100 trees. 100 hours to make a difference.

100: A Making of Trees was an exhibition and is an ongoing project, inspiring the local community to think about trees in new ways. 100 hours long, the exhibition consisted of 100 small artworks by artists and young people. We aim to plant 100 new trees in the London Road area of Brighton over the coming year.

With trees rapidly disappearing, what role can artists play in their survival?

This summer, ONCA will create two forests – an artistic forest in the gallery and a living one outside.

We planted our first lime tree with Thurstan Crockett on the lawns outside the gallery at 10am on 21st June. Everyone was welcome for storytelling, music, refreshments and planting.

“Art can hugely impact how we view our surroundings. I think this exhibition is a fantastic opportunity for us to pause and reflect upon our city and our place in it – and to see it through other people’s eyes. How brilliant that, through this venture, we can also help physically plant new life into one of the busiest roads in Brighton, to be enjoyed for years to come.” Caroline Lucas, ONCA Patron and MP for Brighton Pavilion. 

‘Smoke and Mirrors – Heathland Series no.2’ by Ellie Davies

The exhibition, guest curated by Dan Howard-Birt Curator of artistic programmes at Stour Valley Arts, will feature 100 selected artworks by artists and young people, and will be open just 100 hours between 19 June and 6 July.

Through this 100 project, we aim to plant 100 trees along London Road in Brighton, to root a creatively inspired landscape in the local area. In order to do this, we need to raise £100 per tree. Can you help us?

• You could sponsor a tree, whether as a business, school, local inhabitant or friend.

• You could buy one of our artworks, each of which will be priced at £100. £50 will go to the artist and £50 will be put towards our tree planting scheme.

We would love for each tree to represent a partnership between an artist, the person buying an artwork and a local contributor. A trio of guardians helping to restore environmental degradation through art.

As well as featuring work by professional artists, some of the artworks will be created by school children from local schools including Dorothy-Stringer High School and Carlton Hill School, as well as youth groups in Brighton.

This project is in association with Earth Restoration Service (ERS), a registered charity that helps children in schools learn about the environment, planting trees and creating wild-flower meadows in order to restore their local degraded habitats.                   

Events Programme:

Saturday 21st June, 10am: Tree Planting ceremony

St Peter’s Church grounds, outside ONCA gallery – all are welcome to join us for storytelling, music, refreshments and tree planting! 

Saturday 21st June, afternoon: 

The Living Forest: A Stour Valley Arts Storytelling Walk in King’s Wood

Stour Valley Arts

On 21st June 2014, Stour Valley Arts will host an evening storytelling walk in the stunning surroundings of King’s Wood, Kent. The walk is part of The Midsummer Picnic, an annual event celebrating Via Lucem Continens, an avenue of yew trees planted by Polish artist Lukasz Skapski, designed to frame the setting sun on Midsummer’s Eve.

As we wend our way through the forest towards the yew trees, storyteller Abbie Palache and poet Joanna Coleman will weave an ancient tale of Baba Yaga and the tender hearted girl. A tale of hearing and listening, of starving cats and wise mice, of rivers and trees sprung from things tossed aside, this is a story of the hope made possible when we follow the forest’s transformations.