Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) BA (Hons) Communication Design and Strategy Lecturer, Briony Hartley, is taking her immersive outdoor workshop series, Nocturne: Nature by Night, on the road across Dorset and Hampshire this autumn, supported by funding from AUB.
Designed to reconnect communities with nature after dark, Nocturne combines outdoor creativity, music and nocturnal biodiversity awareness.
The series follows the recent success of Nocturne: Moon Meadow at the Forest of Imagination Arts and Nature Festival in Bath, where over 50 attendees gathered in the falling twilight under swooping bats to explore nocturnal wildlife, nurture moth habitats, and share moonlit memories accompanied by classical music.
Local residents across Dorset and Hampshire are invited to step into the dark and experience nature through two upcoming outdoor workshops this October.
The first event, Nocturne in the Night Garden, takes place on Thursday 15 October, 19.00–20.30, in the historic walled garden at the Museum of East Dorset in Wimborne, offering an intimate evening to enjoy being in nature after dark.
This will be followed by Nocturne: Nature By Night on Saturday 17 October, 19.00–20.30, at the Coda Music and Arts Trust in New Milton, an open outdoor gathering exploring night-time ecology, creativity and personal experience.
Designed to be experienced in the dark with minimal artificial light, these guided outdoor gatherings invite participants to enjoy night skies beneath the trees through music, poetry, and mindful reflection.
Attendees will have the opportunity to craft glowing night memory lanterns, listen to music under dark skies, and find space to relax, reflect, and connect with both nature and one another after dark.
These workshops were developed with support from Talbot Village Trust last winter, with participants gathering in their moonlit woods to listen, talk and share ideas.
“Nocturne events aim to inspire people to remember the magic of being out in nature at night and provide an antidote to evenings spent indoors isolated on screens," explains Briony. "These workshops offer a creative, calm space to connect with the dark, learn about nocturnal biodiversity and to share memories under the stars. I’m so grateful for the support from AUB, which allows us to bring these experiences to local venues in Wimborne and New Milton.”
Both workshops are open to the public, but places are limited and advance booking is recommended via the host venue websites.
To learn more about the project and read stories from past events, visit the Nocturne website.
