With support from Creative Ireland, Field Exchange has developed a unique cross-disciplinary approach, where art becomes a catalyst for climate action and where farmers become ambassadors for ecological repair.

Creative Collaboration at the Heart of Climate Action

The project engaged a wide network of collaborators, including production and facilitation partners including  Ailbhe Gerrard, Eileen Flanagan, Davie Philip, and Martha Kearns, alongside technical experts from the Irish Agroforestry Forum and the Dry Stone Wall Association of Ireland. Creative practitioners from internationally known artists Ackroyd & Harvey, to designer Esther Gerrard, musical ensemble Company of Trees, and artist Gerardine Wisdom formed a vibrant artistic backbone for the initiative.

The target audience was intentionally broad: farmers already exploring regenerative practices, those new to climate-aware agriculture, families, residents, and the generally curious public. This mix created fertile ground for connection, dialogue, and shared discovery.

Artworks Rooted in Place

In 2024, 356 visitors engaged with the striking grass-based portraits created by Ackroyd & Harvey, displayed as part of the festival’s artistic offering. These luminous works, grown from living chlorophyll, invited viewers to reflect on how nature, identity, and agriculture are intertwined.

In 2025, visitors encountered Gerardine Wisdom’s sculptural Dexter Bull, woven from natural materials and steeped in rural symbolism. The sculpture became a gathering point for conversation around heritage breeds, biodiversity, and the deep cultural value of farming.

The Moss Station installation, designed by Esther Gerrard and built collaboratively with Ken Curran and the Farming Ambassadors, demonstrates how traditional craft, ecology, and design thinking can merge effectively.

Exchange Days – Learning Through Doing

Over two years, nine immersive Exchange Days at Brookfield Farm brought farming ambassadors together with artists, ecologists, and technical experts. Each exchange explored themes central to climate action:

• Agroforestry and silvopasture practices
• Biodiversity and ecological surveys
• Water management, hedgerows, and soil health
• Dry-stone walling and moss ecology
• Creative storytelling, narrative building, and farm visioning

These sessions cultivated both skill and imagination. Participants learned practical techniques from dry-stone wall construction to agroforestry design, while also exploring the role of narrative, creativity, and community-led problem-solving in climate resilience.

One ambassador reflected:

“I feel more confident mapping out and planning agroforestry for my farm.”

Another shared:
“The Exchanges highlighted the power of collective action in sustainable farming.”

Field Exchange Festivals – A celebration of Nature, Knowledge and Creativity.  

The 2024 Field Exchange Festival took place over two amazing days, and invited the public to immerse in a rich tapestry of experiences. Visitors enjoyed an aspiring mix of talks,  farm walks and CELT craft workshops, as well as delicious local food, technical partner demonstrations, and captivating performances by Company of Trees.

One of the festival’s most striking highlights was the launch of Ackroyd & Harvey’s  photosynthesis portraits, which transformed the farmyard into a living gallery of art and science. Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the event as ‘uplifting’, ‘grounding’, and ‘educational and fun’. The festival not only celebrated rural traditions and environmental innovation but also created a space for community connection and shared learning.

In response to community feedback the 2025 festival introduced a new format:

• Fields of Possibility Symposium – A gathering of farmers, researchers, artists, and policymakers to explore creative farming in a changing climate.
• Brookfield Farm Festival Day – Talks, walks, crafts, and the debut of Wisdom’s Dexter Bull.
• Celebration Lunch with Tipperary Food Producers’ Network – A showcase of local food, culture, and community pride.

Meaningful Impact Across Farming, Community, and Culture

The evaluation of Field Exchange reveals a profound and lasting impact across multiple dimensions:

• A stronger, more connected Community of Practice
  Participants continue to collaborate, share updates and visit each other’s farms – building a network of mutual support that extends well beyond the programme.
• Increased adoption of climate-friendly farming methods
  Techniques such as dry-stone walling, agroforestry, silvopasture, and biodiversity initiatives are now being actively integrated into farm plans.
• Greater confidence and ecological awareness
  Surveys show significant growth in participants’ knowledge and their willingness to share sustainable practices with
• The transformative role of creativity in ecological repair
  Art was consistently described as a catalyst for new perspectives and conversations, bridging culture and climate.

Participant reflections speak volumes:

“The dry-stone walling demonstration opened my eyes to combining functionality with natural beauty.”

“This was the best hour I spent in a field in a long time.”

Creativity, Collaboration and Lasting Legacy

Creative Ireland’s flexible and responsive support allowed  Field Exchange to evolve organically meeting the needs of rural communities while remaining authentic, inclusive and deeply rooted in place.  Organisers describe Creative Ireland as ‘instrumental in providing an impactful creative agricultural programme.’

Looking ahead, the team is developing a Field Exchange book –  a permanent record of the stories, images, practices, and creative encounters that shaped the project. Scheduled for publication in 2026, this book will extend the legacy of Field Exchange, inspiring future communities and creative climate leaders.

For more on the project:

• https://www.brookfield.farm/field-exchange-festival/
• https://www.brookfield.farm/field-exchange/