Minibus Tour: Dew ponderers, cloud gatherers and road-poets
Join Waterweek artists Clare Whistler and Charlotte Still on a magical minibus excursion to visit ancient dew ponds near Black Robin Farm, the future site of Towner Seven Sisters. You’ll be picked up by minibus outside Towner and taken up to the Eastbourne downland to experience and learn something new about the landscape, with historical stories, pond-expert ‘Pete the Pond’, refreshments and more en route. We will spend around 45 minutes at each dew pond. Between each dew pond, depending on your accessibility needs, you’ll either have the opportunity to walk 15 minutes or return to the minibus to travel to the next pond. The bus will return all attendees to the foyer at the end of the event. This event is part of Digging Horizons, a series of autumn talks, walks and events exploring new approaches to landscape, ecology and archaeology. Together, these events will test and shape future activities for Towner Seven Sisters, Towner's forthcoming site at Black Robin Farm. Meet, experiment and engage with the cultivation of a cultural site stitched into the landscape. Digging Horizons is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Charlotte Still is a multi media visual artist whose work is a search to communicate her deep environmental concerns. She works locally to address themes of biodiversity loss, pollution and awareness of the natural world, creating work that is a memento for her research and experience-based approach. She has collaborated with Clare Whistler on their co created project ‘Waterweek’ for the last 12 years. Clare Whistler is a collaborative artist, poet, choreographer. Clare works in performance, site specific events in the landscape, poetry, music and social action art. As well as WATERWEEK with visual artist Charlotte Still, ongoing collaborative work includes eco-poetry 'kin’d & kin’d ‘with poet Kay Syrad, Turner & Whistler with sculptor Nicola Turner, Rebecca Marshall of Dear Future Films, poet Alice Willitts, With All Dementia work with Julian West and Elephant Press with designer Raphael Whittle. If you choose to walk to the second dew pond, please note that the route includes uneven terrain and some inclines and declines. There will however, be the option of a taking a minibus to the second dew pond. Please do note that the area around the dew pond is not wheelchair friendly but is accessible on crutches. Appropriate footwear is advised. Please note that the walk will take place rain or shine and therefore please do dress appropriately. The Downs can be windy and cold in the autumn. In the case of a storm the event will be postponed. We have a budget available to make this event as accessible as possible – this can include interpretation services or other access needs we can meet to enable you to participate. If you require access arrangements, please email programme@townereastbourne.org.uk two weeks before the event date so that we can book a service if needed.
