A ‘nature rich’ landscape in Cornwall has been chosen to be both host and inspiration for a new community arts commission.

The Camel Estuary near Wadebridge will become home to resident artists, who will work in tandem to create new work and opportunities for local people that connect nature and heritage.

The location was selected by this year’s Leeside creative collaboration between Natural England and Arts and Culture at the University of Exeter and will involve a wide range of academics and officers from both organisations as well as a host of other stakeholders.

The commission will run until July 2025, and are designed to improve community engagement in the management of the protected site, which in turn, will hopefully inform future policy on strategies applying to these special areas.

At the Camel Estuary is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Area of Conservation spanning 600 hectares. Its varied geology and diverse soils support a wide range of habitats and species, many of which are nationally and globally significant including the European eel, and several types of wading birds.

Filmmakers Xenia Glen and Antosh Wojcik from Dorset-based Sleepwalk Studios will be exploring the Camel Estuary's cultural and environmental heritage through community centred filmmaking. They will create a film that highlights both traditional and modern conservation efforts while illustrating the local community's evolving relationship with the estuary. They’ll also be developing an archive collection of film, photography, and other documentation for future use by artists and researchers.

Glen said: “We were drawn to this commission by the opportunity to meet people local to the Camel Estuary area and to explore the extensive archive of footage and images documenting this unique part of the country.”

There will be opportunities for the communities surrounding the Camel Estuary to engage with the artists and the environmental, historical and cultural significance of both sites.

Sarah Campbell, associate director for Arts and Culture at the University, said: “I’m so thrilled to be partnering with Natural England on this project and bringing our expertise in Arts and Culture to the collaboration. Ultimately, our shared goal is to serve the diverse communities who live on and near these natural environments and encourage new ways of connecting with nature and heritage through the arts.”

"This project is a wonderful example of interdisciplinary collaboration, highlighting the wealth of research opportunities fostered at the University of Exeter,” added Professor Krasimira Tsaneva-Atanasova, Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Impact at the University. “The Arts and Culture team has a strong record of supporting innovative and inspirational cross-disciplinary initiatives, bringing together creative practitioners and researchers to tackle global challenges and contribute to a cleaner, greener, and fairer world. This project is no exception. We are excited to continue our fruitful research partnership with Natural England, building on our shared commitment to creating lasting, positive change.”

These commissions have been jointly funded by Arts and Culture, University of Exeter and Natural England with support from the University of Exeter’s Biodiversity and People Network.