CAPABILITY BROWN FESTIVAL 2016
2016 marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of Capability Brown, a designer who changed the nationallandscape and created a style which has shaped people’s picture of the quintessential English countryside.
As the first ever celebration of Brown’s extensive works, the Festival brings together a huge range of events,openings and exhibitions. New research and a full listing of his sites will help build knowledge about Brownand fix him at the forefront of modern thinking on design and management of the natural environment.
Brown’s sites will be made accessible for families, adults and urban audiences, and volunteers supported toincrease their skills in site interpretation, guiding and writing. Artist, inventor, genius; Brown’s work hasalready influenced many at home and abroad. The Festival will inspire new generations of visitors,participants and experts to leave a legacy of new information, skills and enthusiasm for landscape.
The Capability Brown Festival has been awarded a grant by Heritage Lottery Fund to enable the delivery of the project. The approved purposes of that grant are listed below.
Approved Purposes
- Taking account of the timetable pressures and the need for continuity, appoint a staff team with appropriate management and governance arrangements to run a Festival to celebrate the tercentenary of the birth of Capability Brown.
- Produce a partnership agreement for approval by HLF and signature by all partners, to define and confirm the involvement of partner organisations throughout the project.
- Offer a comprehensive programme of support to owners of Brown sites, with the aim of opening as many sites as possible, to as wide a range of people as possible.
- As part of this, confirm agreements and work programmes with a network of intermediate sites who will work on the Festival’s behalf to support their neighbours; to attract new audiences; and to promote knowledge of Brown and best practice in site management and audience development.
- Interpret all or as many sites as possible, using research by volunteers who will be trained and supported by the Festival. Interpretation material will aim to meet the needs of the widest possible range of participants and audiences. Use this material and other work to create a definitive record of Brown sites.
- Ensure a focus throughout the project on the development of new audiences. This will include support to sites on best practice in accessibility and inclusion; projects to work with target audiences identified by individual sites; and information and initiatives from the Festival team to promote inclusion of specific audiences.
- Make findings and learning accessible during and after the project, to as wide a range of people as possible. Share learning as it develops through a programme of regional seminars