Gathering at dusk on Wednesday 6 July hundreds of participants aka Lumenators, from all walks of life, came together at the historic Craig-y-Nos country park in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park for Green Space Dark Skies. Developed by outdoor art experts Walk the Plank, Green Space Dark Skies is part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK running April to September 2022.
Carrying a low impact Geolight designed by Siemens through the Fforest Fawr geopark, Lumenators helped to create a large-scale artwork, celebrate nature and everyone’s right to explore the countryside. This was the second event to happen in Wales, with thousands of people participating UK-wide.
Participants were invited to bring their own twilight picnic to enjoy as the sun set whilst listening to an ambient wave of immersive soundscapes curated by local artist Tayla-Leigh Payne, inspired by the breath-taking Bannau Brycheiniog landscape and the world-renowned Victorian opera singer Madame Patti, who made Craig-y-Nos her home. Lumenators also participated in a unique choreographed sequence led and performed by poet and spoken word artist TeiFi and dance troop Kitsch n Sync Collective.
The event had a focus on rights and responsibilities for National Park visitors. Park staff put on workshops during the event and were involved in the creative development of the production.The stunning creative adventure was filmed and will be available to view for free on the Green Space Dark Skies website and social media channels soon after the event. The next Green Space Dark Skies Wales events are Anglesey Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (6 August), and Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon, Parc Cenedlaethol / Snowdonia National Park (September 2022).
Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon will not feature public participation. It will be filmed as part of the grand finale to be broadcast on BBC Countryfile, along with the three other highest peaks in the UK.
Everyone, including Lumenators, is invited to share their own connections to the landscape and the local areas through Green Space Stories. This free online story archive, along with the short films, will form a valuable legacy for anyone interested in our relationship with land and our responsibilities to the landscape.
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