“Powerful,” “timely,” “important” & “vital”

It has been conceived and founded by arts practitioner Laura Frances Martin working in collaboration on the pilot with Kate Stark of Bude Climate Partnership and with support from Rowen Mackenzie of the North Cornwall National Trust.

InTheSaltSpace is all about time spent at the sea's edge. A space full of natural change. A powerful meeting of elements and timescales. A space that can feed us, and offer us a chance to review who we are, what we do, and how we do it. Where, in a creative and collaborative way, we might ground ourselves, and release the usual societal burdens we carry, in order to consider together some of the larger issues at hand. 

InTheSaltSpace directly, specifically and consciously encourages and supports women in particular to step out of their usual spaces and busy timetables, into this space that is completely OTHER. Liberating ourselves temporarily from domestic and cultural expectations, all the agendas and roles we normally bear in other spaces, whether domestic, civic or professional: being in this clean space can free us to move towards our most authentic selves and perhaps our most important creative work. 

The first steps on this journey were a pilot series of Bude-based days, developed in collaboration with Bude Climate Partnership, undertaking Carbon Literacy Training, and working with small groups of local women, in autumn 2024; followed by a series of days with the National Trust at Crantock, and a special 'Time:Tide:Tech' event at Crackington Haven as part of Cornwall Festival of Tech, in spring 2025. 

Comprising accessible arts practices and observational prompts, along with conversations on the science of climate change, local geology and coastal erosion, participants have described their time on the project to date as “powerful”, “timely”, “important” and “vital”, with "excellent facilitation and a perfectly chosen environment", and that they were: "inspired to feel I can engage with difficult climate issues in a supportive and well held space."

Developing directly out of that work, what we do is now and next is continually shaped by the outcomes, feedback, learning, thoughts & views of our participants, project team, partners and collaborators. If you, your organisation or group would like to book time InTheSaltSpace, or have a conversation with us about how this works, we are planning, developing and offering sessions and short courses for this year in Cornwall and in Devon; please email us to start the conversation, and do check out our upcoming sessions, which we will post info about on this page.