Sussex comes alive with music, film and performance
We’re excited to share that Enchanting Forest, the latest project from Brighton-based non-profit Forests Without Frontiers (FWF) is launching at Brighton Dome on 20 November.
Enchanting Forest brings together Sussex musicians, ecologists and artists to tell the story of the local landscape and heritage – and how music and the arts can help nature restoration. The evening will be an immersive experience, launching a short film and album (to be fully released next year) with a wide variety of live performances - from folksingers to a choir and an orchestra.
Founded by DJ and producer Nicoleta Carpineanu, FWF combines creativity and conservation, aiming to “bring nature back to life and people back to nature”. Part-funded by the Arts Council England and in partnership with the Sussex Wildlife Trust and the University of Sussex, Enchanting Forest is FWF’s most ambitious project to date. It was recorded in ecologically important landscapes across the region, from the Weald to the South Downs to the sea, and weaves nature recordings into electronic compositions drawing on local folksongs and new music inspired by nature.
Directed and produced by Nico, Enchanting Forest features performances from a local choir formed by Sophia Efthimiou, Brighton-based New Note Orchestra (the world's first orchestra for those recovering from addiction), the Copper family (keepers of Sussex folksong), and singer Alice Russell. The project also involves academics from the University of Sussex including professor of sonic systems Dr Alice Eldridge, poet Niall Hollaert, and guidance from the Sussex Wildlife Trust. Recordings were made at ecologically important locations including Ebernoe Common, Kingley Vale and the coast, where kelp restoration is underway.
“By bringing people together through music and art we can raise awareness of the amazing diverse landscapes right on our doorstep and help preserve and protect them – and local traditions – for generations to come,” said Nico.
Henri Brockelbank, Director of Conservation, Sussex Wildlife Trust said: “Restoring wildlife depends on the strength of connection between individuals, communities and nature – and I love what Enchanting Forest is doing, linking the arts to some very special nature.”
Nico’s previous work includes an album and film exploring similar themes in her homeland Romania. Interbeing was funded by the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme and won Cambridge Conservation Initiative's Endangered Landscapes Art Prize 2021/22.Set up six years ago, FWF is a non-profit organisation dedicated to restoring and protecting nature across Europe and the UK for future generations by harnessing the power of music and the arts. Through album sales, events and fundraising campaigns, FWF has planted 200,000 trees in Romania, and in the UK has a strong focus on Sussex, planting thousands of trees and taking people into nature. FWF has also worked in Devon and has a new partnership in Wales, where it will plant 1,000 trees this autumn.
Tickets to the event are available here.