AN ARTS organisation in County Durham is to embark on a project to enhance the experience of nature – by installing panels in a bird hide at Low Barns Nature Reserve.

Instead of merely looking out at the landscape, visitors will find it interpreted creatively inside.

Daisy Arts, based at Bishop Auckland, is working on the project in conjunction with Durham Wildlife Trust.

Professional artists will be engaged to run workshops to involve schools and adult community groups.

Jane Crawford, director of Daisy Arts, said: “We’re thrilled to be working on such a programme. It’s a great opportunity for those who take part to learn more about their natural environment and create what we hope will be a unique hide interior.”

Four artists will lead sessions on photography, illustration, creative writing and crafts. Environmental educators from the trust will attend the workshops to offer advice and inspiration.

Laura Tedstone, living landscapes officer for the trust, said: “Low Barns Nature Reserve is rich in wildlife with a mix of habitats, including wetlands, woodlands and meadows.

"We want to create artwork which will reflect and interpret the natural landscape, enriching people’s experience and encouraging more visitors.”

The artists will begin by exploring shapes, colours, textures, forms and sounds in the natural environment from the level of tiny cells to landscape scale.

Daisy Arts will then design, create, construct and install permanent panels in the hide.

A temporary exhibition in the visitor centre will use material created during the workshops to explain the artistic development and creations of the final artistic piece. This is expected to take place in the autumn.

The project is supported by the Arts Council through its National Lottery-funded Grants for the Arts programme, and County Durham Community Foundation.

Daisy Arts was founded by artist and actress Jane Crawford as a non-profit community arts group in 2003. It has been involved in many community projects, including live theatre and music, a festival and other arts activities, including most recently commemorative events connected to the First World War.

Low Barns Nature Reserve, on the outskirts of Witton-le-Wear, is one of the region’s most important wildlife sites, comprising wetland, woodland and species rich grasslands. To find out more, including visitor centre opening times, visit durhamwt.com.