Do you find the natural landscape inspiring? Are you interested in exploring our relationship with the natural world? If so, you may like to join in with ‘Restoration Remix’, a free workshop and sound performance on Monday 30 August, in the stunning surroundings of the sand dunes at Haverigg, near Millom.

First, at 12.00pm, there’ll be a short sound performance workshop with singer Jo Wade.  Local residents and visitors are encouraged and come along, give it a go, to sing and play percussion with Jo. You don’t need any experience (though you do need to book a place).

Then at 2.00pm, you’ll be able to take part in a Restoration Remix performance on the sand dunes, along with a group of local musicians and artists, including musician and singer Neil and Jo Wade; acoustic drummer Dave Baker; environmental artist Irene Rogan and singer-songwriter Hannah Rose Kessler. There’s no need to book for the performance – and all are welcome to come along and watch!

The Restoration Remix performance and singing will be inspired by William Blake’s poem Auguries of Innocence, a poem on humankind and nature, which includes the famous lines: 

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour

We are supporting the Restoration Remix workshop as part of the Dynamic Dunescapes project. Eve Mulholland, People Engagement Officer for Dynamic Dunescapes in Cumbria, explains more: “We’ve been delighted to work with artist Irene Rogan throughout the summer on a series community arts projects, about Cumbria’s precious sand dunes. Irene is from Millom and responds to her location and the environment through her installations and sculpture. She’s worked with children at Haverigg Primary School and Black Combe Junior School to create wonderful patterns and sculptures in the sand and set up an ‘Artlab’ for World Sand Dune Day, enabling people to look down microscopes and view the sand dunes in a different way.”

Eve continues: “The Restoration Remix workshop and performance promise to be another memorable community event from Irene. It’s a really inspiring way for people to get together to reflect on our relationship with the natural world, in the fantastic surroundings of Haverigg Dunes.”   

Haverigg Dunes, on the edge of the Duddon Estuary, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and like all sand dunes, is the habitat most at risk across Europe for loss of biodiversity. It’s renowned for specialist species such as natterjack toads and dune wildflowers.   

The Restoration Remix workshop and performance are taking place as part of Unpublished Tour, an arts project supported by Dynamic Dunescapes.

Dynamic Dunescapes is an ambitious project, rejuvenating some of England & Wales' most important sand dunes for people, communities and wildlife.