A stunning new contemporary art exhibition is set to arrive at a popular Staffordshire beauty spot this summer. Ilam Park will host an ambitious creative project called Earthly Delights, celebrating two major milestones in its history: 200 years since Ilam Hall was completed and 100 years since the site came under the care of the National Trust.
The artwork will be on display from July 18 to September 6. Visitors can explore a large immersive dome-shaped structure on the lawn in front of the hall. The project is a collaboration with the creative organisation OUTSIDE and three acclaimed local artists: David Bethell, Mally Mallinson, and Stephanie Rushton. They have developed the exhibition to explore nature, history, and the local landscape.
The main structure will house a carefully curated landscape of plants, saplings, soil, stone, and sculptural elements. A trail of smaller artworks will be located at various points across the scenic site. Local schools and volunteers will help create elements of the installation, giving the project a strong community focus. After the summer exhibition, the dome and many plants will be repurposed for community use.
Community and Heritage
Rachael Lyon, a manager at Ilam Park, said: "As we celebrate both 100 years of National Trust stewardship and 200 years since Ilam’s completion, Earthly Delights offers a unique opportunity to reflect on the stories, landscapes and people that have shaped this special place. Ilam has a longstanding connection to the arts and has provided inspiration for artists, writers, poets and other creative minds for centuries. Working with OUTSIDE and three exceptional artists from the Staffordshire Moorlands allows us to explore Ilam's rich heritage through a contemporary lens, encouraging visitors to see familiar spaces in new and thought-provoking ways."
Katie Aldous, a director at OUTSIDE, said: "Earthly Delights is exactly the kind of project we love to support – ambitious, thought-provoking and rooted in place. Bringing together three exceptional Staffordshire Moorlands artists with the National Trust has created a unique opportunity to explore heritage through contemporary art. Community voices have been at the heart of the project from the outset, and we’re looking forward to creating opportunities for more people to engage with the work as it develops. We’re excited to see this imaginative project come to life and discover how visitors respond to the installation and the stories it uncovers."
The artists working on the project said: "As artists with strong connections to Staffordshire, we are delighted to have the opportunity to explore the rich and complex history of Ilam Hall and Park. This commission has allowed us to delve into the many layers of the site’s past, considering how successive owners, changing social histories, and its distinctive setting within the landscape have shaped its evolution over time. We have been fascinated by the resilience and adaptability of this remarkable place, and by the stories that continue to resonate through its buildings, parkland, and surrounding countryside. We look forward to sharing a creative response that reflects both the heritage of Ilam and its enduring significance today."
Further details about the exhibition and how to get involved will be announced by the organisers in due course.
