Landscape and walking provide the catalyst for Walking the Land’s creative activities. Based in the Gloucestershire countryside, Walking the Land comprises three lead artists, Richard and Tom Keating and Kel Portman. Each share a passion for the landscape, using artworks to bring landscape and environmental issues to a wider public audience. As painters, sculptors, photographers, videographers, curators, academics and educators we produce work which refers to specific places, localities and environments.

Formed in 2004, we are a Stroud-based arts collective who have regularly produced and exhibited work made by direct engagement with the landscape. In addition we also facilitate landscape-based projects, walks, curate installations, exhibitions and events with other artists. Our works have been shown in formal galleries and informal sites including such places as Capel Mill with the ‘Transitions’ project, ‘Racking Fields’ in Rodborough, Arboreality at Westonbirt National Arboretum and ‘river’ shown on the banks of the River Severn. Alongside collaboration with artists, we promote creative enterprises with other groups and individuals including universities ecologists, historians, architects and renewable energy engineers.

Part of our work also includes creative involvement with schools, community groups, neighbourhood projects and conservation organisations such as The Cotswold Water Park, Natural England, the Cotswold Conservation Board and The Forestry Commission and post-graduate students from The University of Delft.

Walking the Land see our role not just as individual or even group artists, but also as facilitators of practical projects that bring an appreciation of the landscape to a wider audience. By inviting and encouraging local people to make artwork and responses based on their own direct experience of ‘the land’, we hope to provoke dialogue and discussion about both art, landscape, environmental and sustainability matters.

Walking the Land run creative workshops, art courses and walks in the Gloucestershire countryside throughout the year and play an active role in the 'site' Visual Arts Festival which is organised by SVA and takes place in the Stroud area annually in May.

On our site you can find out more about Walking the Land and our activities. In particular how to take part in our projects and courses.