Film, Nature and Community in Alexandra Park
Ask the Trees is a new outdoor experience by Rebecca E. Marshall of Dear Future Films that invites visitors to look at the trees in Alexandra Park in a new way.
Ask the Trees participants
The outdoor project transforms part of Alexandra Park into a living storytelling trail that encourages people to slow down and step into nature. Using only a smartphone, visitors can access a series of short films inspired by the trees; all created by a new generation of filmmakers working with mobile phones.
Eight selected trees have a QR code linking to a short mobile-friendly film created by a diverse group of participants aged 8-70. To take part, visitors to Alexandra Park can follow a map which takes them to the selected trees (all within a short walk). Scan the QR codes with your phone to watch the films instantly. Alternatively, watch them at home by visiting askthetrees.world .
The films vary – playful, poetic or reflective – but share a common curiosity and care for the natural world. The tree species represented have origins across the globe, including Australia, the Mediterranean, Ireland, China, the American Northwest and the UK, reflecting the international roots woven into Hastings’ landscape.
Ask the Trees was commissioned by a cohort of refugees participating in a project run by OBX, part of Hastings Commons. The Initiative supports people who rarely get opportunities to shape artistic programming where they live. The group developed an artist’s brief to explore community, connection and the natural world.
Rebecca E. Marshall was selected from the 16 artists who responded, chosen for her collaborative approach, emphasis on the natural environment and links between Hastings and other parts of the world. The project is supported by Arts Council England National Lottery funding, with recruitment support from The Refugee Buddy Project.
With no tickets, schedules or special equipment – only a phone – Ask the Trees offers an accessible, uplifting way to spend time outdoors, discover something unexpected and view familiar surroundings with fresh eyes. OBX and Dear Future Films hope the project encourages more people to visit the park and connect with these stories.
Watch the film about Ask the Trees here for more information: youtube.com/watch?v=tp_W1rCchnw&t=1s
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