Quaker artists go to Greenbelt
'There’s 12,000 Quakers here at Greenbelt, they just don’t all know it yet.' Paul Northup, director of Greenbelt.
The Quaker Arts Network (QAN) will have a presence at the Greenbelt Festival this summer, with a gazebo of its own. Meetings for Worship (MfW) have been a regular occurrence at the festival for some time.
David Curtis, a QAN trustee, told the Friend: ‘Greenbelt had initially contacted Linda Murgatroyd of QAN back in February about exhibiting some of the Loving Earth Panels at the festival. At the same time, a couple of Friends from Hampshire & Islands Area Meeting, [myself] and Andy O’Hanlon, were exploring possible ways to increase Quaker presence at Greenbelt, realising the great potential for outreach amongst over 12,000 attenders, many of whom are sympathetic to Quaker understandings.’
QAN trustees have agreed to financially underwrite the gazebo project, which will be installed in a large walled garden. This space includes a ‘Shelter’ worship and spirituality venue, which attracts thousands of people over the August bank holiday weekend.
Northamptonshire Area Meeting (AM) and Hampshire & the Islands AM are also financially supporting the initiative. Aileen Braidwood, the local development worker for Northamptonshire, is also involved.
David Curtis told the Friend: ‘At Greenbelt’s MfW on the Friday morning last year, I counted 150 people, the majority of whom were under the age of thirty-five.
‘Paul Northup, director of Greenbelt, described Quakers as the church most closely aligned to the spirit and outlook of the festival, and was quoted as saying “there’s 12,000 Quakers here at Greenbelt, they just don’t all know it yet.”
‘I’m excited to see what collaborations and new conversations will emerge from this coming together of like-minded spirits…Quakers are planning to collaborate with Franciscans and members of the Iona community in discussions and workshops about climate change, and how artistic practices can help us co-imagine a different future.’
The Quaker space will include a slideshow of images related to specific Advices & queries. Kirsten Lavers, who will curate the slideshow, told the Friend: ‘I’m really looking forward to receiving a wide range of visual contributions and very curious to see how our Advices & queries inspire Quaker creativity. I’m hoping to be surprised, challenged and moved.’
A team of up to fifteen QAN volunteers will run the gazebo.
