Throughout 2023, a unique collaboration among Creative Kilkenny, the Kilkenny Biodiversity officer, KCETB, Keep Kilkenny Beautiful, and local artists provided a platform for both artists and the community to contemplate their environmental impact. This initiative led to a significant shift in perspectives, with all surveyed participants reporting an enhanced understanding and awareness of biodiversity.

The program engaged 29 individuals across four workshops, while 113 people participated in artist-led outreach events. Remarkably, every participant expressed a heightened likelihood of volunteering for biodiversity projects in the future.

Buoyed by this success, the ‘Leave the Long Grass Grow’ initiative is set to expand, offering a variety of funded programs through the Biodiversity office. This expansion will be officially introduced during Kilkenny’s Biodiversity Week this year.

During Biodiversity Week, keep an eye out for six distinct art installations scattered throughout Kilkenny City. For more information on the broader program, visit www.theacornproject.ie.

We invite you to join the ‘Leave the Long Grass Grow’ artists and esteemed guests for an insightful panel discussion on the crucial role and benefits of wild plants in maintaining healthy ecosystems, to be held in Freshford.