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Connecting people and places through creativity

The artist Bob and Roberta Smith holds a free painting class under the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Tree in Dorset
The artist Bob and Roberta Smith holds a free painting class under the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Tree in Dorset | © National Trust/Jason Lock

Art and creativity can enhance our everyday lives and connect us to beauty, nature, history and each other. Our creative programme continues a legacy of support for art that's at the heart of many places in our care. Find out about past, present and upcoming projects, as well as how to get involved.

We work with creatives across all types of art, from visual arts and installations to performance and participatory events, to bring people and places together. We often work in partnerships and collaborations to connect communities.   

We aim to engage people with history and nature through high quality creative experiences. Offering opportunities to take part to an even broader range of people. We want to continue to develop partnerships that help us to expand our reach and answer the important questions that we face today. 

Creative projects

10th Anniversary Sculpture Display

Greys Court

In 2026, we celebrate 10 years of ‘Sculptures in the Garden’ - a decade of displays of art and creativity set against the beauty of the garden at Greys Court, Oxfordshire. Each year, during the summer months, works from the Oxford Sculptors Group are shown throughout the garden rooms and within the Cromwellian Building. These sculptures are for sale and Greys Court takes a commission which goes back into caring for the gardens.

This year, there'll be a rotating programme of sculptures. Each new piece will offer visitors something different to discover in this historic landscape.

Visit Greys Court

A sculpture exhibited in the garden by the Oxford Sculptors Group at Greys Court, Oxfordshire
A sculpture exhibited in the garden by the Oxford Sculptors Group at Greys Court, Oxfordshire | © National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole

Support for our creative projects

We’ve worked in partnership with Arts Council England (ACE) – the national development agency for creativity and culture – since 2009. In the last 15 years we’ve produced over 300 creative projects at more than 150 places.

Our renewed focus is to enable creative participation for new audiences, children and young people and families. We’ll continue to work with artists, communities and project teams to develop this work. 

In Wales we've been working in partnership with Arts Council Wales since 2014. Together we've enabled many extraordinary creative projects and recently we've partnered with the Future Wales Fellowship. This partnership has deepened our understanding of how creativity can help connect people with nature.

Get involved

There are many ways to get involved with our creative programme. The majority of our commissions are selected through an open-call process, and we advertise these opportunities through our website, mailing list and social media accounts, as well as on Arts Jobs, which is the Art Council England’s opportunities board.

Contact us

Email

Get in touch with the creative programming team. Due to the large volume of proposals received, we can only follow up in certain circumstances and are not able to return unsolicited material.

creativecommissioning@nationaltrust.org.uk
A view of the house Blickling Estate in Norfolk along with the lake and autumnal trees

For everyone, for ever

We protect and care for places so people and nature can thrive. Find out who we are and what we stand for.

Our partners

Arts Council England

Arts Council England invest public money from government and the National Lottery to make sure everyone's creativity is given the chance to flourish and we all have access to a remarkable range of high quality cultural experiences.

Visit website 

You might also be interested in

Special exhibitions 

Connect with nature, beauty and history at an exhibition near you. From showcasing art and collections, to exploring the connections between people and places, there's something for everyone.

A ldy wearing headphones and holding an audio guide, looks at a painting of a man with a cap with two flambouyant feathers and a large dark velvet cloak with bright silver embroidery on the hem. The man has long curly hair and a thin beard - he is Rembrandt

Communities 

Find out what we're doing to connect the places in our care to the communities they serve and make sure that everyone can benefit from nature, beauty and history.

A group of people working to build a garden in the spring sunshine

Art and collections 

The art and heritage collections we care for rival the world’s greatest museums. Learn more about the collection of paintings, decorative art, costume, books, household and other objects at historic places.

Two visitors in a room with a white vaulted ceiling with a sky light with dark red walls and various artworks displayed.