Local wildlife celebrated at Otley arts festival

A Wildlife Arts festival was held in Otley over the weekend to celebrate local biodiversity through the medium of community art.

The festival, run by charity Wildlife Friendly Otley, featured a series of art and crafts exhibitions produced by members of the community, as well as guest speakers and specialist workshops.

The main exhibition showcased the talents of 47 artists, which was held at Otley Common on Saturday.

The festival celebrated local wildlife through a series of exhibitions, workshops, and talks from local guest speakers | Wildlife Friendly Otley

placeholder image — The festival celebrated local wildlife through a series of exhibitions, workshops, and talks from local guest speakers | Wildlife Friendly Otley

The event was made possible by funding from Leeds City Council’s Cultural Investment Programme and Otley Town Council, and additional support from local donors such as the Wharfedale Naturalists Society.

Neil Griffin, Co-Chair of Wildlife Friendly Otley, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “celebrate local wildlife and connect local people with the wildlife, and to empower those people to help out wildlife where it’s struggling.”

Members of Chevin Watercolour Group showcase their artistic talents | Wildlife Friendly Otley

Neil also reflected on the palpable sense of community in Otley that events like this help to bolster.

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“It’s the sort of place where there is a strong community sense, and there’s just countless different groups for all sorts of different issues. People are cooperating.”

Guest speakers included George McGavin, one of the UK’s leading entomologists; Matthew Stoppard, an Otley poet; and journalist and author Amy-Jane Beer, notable for her involvement in the Right to Roam campaign and published works with both BBC Wildlife and The Guardian.

A selection of feathered friends from festival's art exhibition | Wildlife Friendly Otley

Neil is a member of the Otley Nature network, which was established in 2021 to tackle effects of climate change on local biodiversity, bringing together voices across the environmental sector.

“Every two months we get together to share what we’re doing to support each other.”

“We work with representatives from organisations such as Friends of Chevin Forest, Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust, and Friends of Gallow Hill to address climate change and the general quality of life in Otley.”

After the success of the weekend, the festival will continue in 2028.

“I think artistic expression can be the spark of inspiration for action for both the artists themselves, and also the people that experience their art. Art builds connections with a subject and also between people.”