101 Outdoor Arts programme celebrates Greenham Common anniversary
Greenham Common, Thatcham RG19 6HN
Saturday 13 & Sunday 14 September, 11am–6pm
This September, Corn Exchange Newbury’s 101 Outdoor Arts Programme presents Creative
Commons, a remarkable weekend of free outdoor arts marking 25 years since Greenham
Commons return to public ownership. Over two vibrant days, Greenham Common will be
transformed into an open-air stage, animated by performances and installations specially
commissioned to honour the site’s rich and complex history.
Audiences can expect a dynamic mix of aerial circus, street theatre, dance, music and interactive
workshops, each offering a unique perspective on the Common’s journey from Cold War
military base to flourishing wildlife sanctuary. Creative Commons promises a bold and
imaginative celebration of place, memory and creativity, and an unmissable moment in
Greenham’s continuing story.
Part of this joyous weekend will be Gossamer Thread Circus with Becoming FERAL, a visually
striking performance combining aerial circus, physical theatre and an original soundscape.
Inspired by folklore and ritual, the piece reimagines our relationship with the land and the more
than-human world. They will also host aerial circus workshops for children across the weekend.
In Roots to Rise, dancer Nandita Shankardass explores ancestry and women’s wisdom through
movement. Inspired by India’s textile traditions, environmental activism and the women’s
protests of Greenham, the piece reflects on environmental regeneration and resilience.
Dora Colquhoun’s Snakes Live Here offers a playful audio-led journey across the Common.
Audiences will wear headphones and meet Adderlaide, the spirit of the Common, in a
soundscape trail blending myth, music and immersive storytelling. Louise Jordan and Divija
Melally’s Hold the Line is a powerful musical collaboration honouring the Greenham Women’s
Peace Camp, combining live performance and movement to explore radical hope and creative
resistance.
Rachel Lincoln’s Common invites young children and families on a guided nature walk with live
music and storytelling. The experience includes a take-home illustrated map, e-book and short
film, offering a joyful look at biodiversity through a child’s eyes. In Verney-Brookes and Nick
Garnett’s Common Room, Heath and Heather Robinson find themselves living on the Common
for 48 hours, welcoming visitors into their curious world. Their part-museum, part-interactive
performance also features a live nature stream promising a curious mix of ‘Big Brother meets
Springwatch’.
Public art duo Yara + Davina ask audiences, “How do you achieve peace?” in A Moral Compass,
an interactive outdoor installation where visitors physically place themselves along 32 moral
positions to spark reflection and conversation. Simon Daw’s Unknown Forest transforms the
woods into an interactive puzzle for children, using sound and video to guide them through a
story of a lost bird, encouraging deep listening and ecological discovery.
The Hide by Tilly Ingram will blend personal reflection with birdwatching. Sharing her
experience as a woman with a non-visible disability, Ingram invites participants to observe
nature and question how we see each other and the world. Hands-on nature workshops from
Nature Nurture engage communities in eco-therapy, Earth Education and playful learning,
helping build meaningful connections with the environment.
For the full timetable of events, please visit cornexchangenew.com/creative-commons. Creative
Commons falls on the same weekend as The Base Greenham’s Festival of Arts & Crafts Fair,
resulting in a true arts takeover of Greenham. At the Arts & Crafts Fair families can enjoy spray
painting, live music from talented local artists, delicious artisan food and drink and even have a
‘paw-trait’ of their dogs made or contribute to a giant doodle wall to make their own mark on
the event. There will be a free shuttle bus service to take visitors between the two events for
people to enjoy everything on offer.
