“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; a clean space that allows 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, and working with small groups of local women in 2024, followed by a series of days with the National Trust at Crantock. Comprising accessible arts practices, observational prompts, and sharing some of the science of climate change and coastal erosion, participants described their time on the project as “powerful”, “timely”, “important” and “vital”, with "excellent facilitation and a perfectly chosen environment", and that they felt "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, the project team, our partners and collaborators. If you, your organisation or group would like to book time InTheSaltSpace, we are planning, developing and offering sessions and short courses for this year and beyond; please email us to talk about this, and do check out any upcoming sessions that we will post here.