Clive Adams is well known as the pioneering founder, in 1995, of the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World (CCANW). This was Britain’s first art organisation dedicated to the causes and subjects of nature. Based in various locations in Devon, including its own project space at Haldon Forest Park from 2004 – 2013, the Innovation Centre, University of Exeter, 2013-15, and Dartington Hall, 2015-2020; Clive Adams and his colleagues organised a number of ground-breaking exhibitions, conferences and creative projects, until CCANW was forced to close in 2020.

Above: Inspiring Futures, Greenhouse Britain, Wonder Wood exhibitions

CCANW Major Projects

CCANW’s major projects delivered at Halden and with partners, included the University of the Trees 2006-11; Forest Dreaming 2006-7; Wood Culture 2007; Greenhouse Britain, 2007; Reflections on Water; The Animal Gaze, 2009; Art, Ecology and the Economy, 2010; Fashion, Textiles and the Environment 2010-11; Games People Play, 2012-13.

CCANW with Games People Play exhibition

Solo exhibitions

As well as big partnership projects at Haldon, there were also a number of solo exhibitions by renowned artists, including Peter Randall-Page, 2009 (& in 2013 at Exeter Innovation Centre), Shai Zakai, founder of Israili Forum for Ecological Art, 2007; David Nash, 2011, and Lucy Orta, 2010, who became Professor of Sustainable Fashion at UAL (and has shown in Art for the Environment, GroundWork Gallery in 2024).

Above: Peter Randall Page, David Nash and Lucy Orta exhibitions

Soil Culture

Soil Culture, 2013-16 involved numerous partners, including the University of Falmouth. Keen on following through to bring his work to a wider audience, Clive Adams led this into the subsequent Our Living Soil project, linking COP26 with the World Congress of Soil Science in Glasgow in 2022.

Above: Soil Cultjure Young Shoots Residency at Kew and Deep Roots exhibition at Plymouth

CCANW was involved with Research in Art, Nature and the Environment at the University of Falmouth, the Arts and Environment Network at the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), the Global Network of Water Museums and, in collaboration with art.earth at Dartington Hall, the Science Walden Project with partners in Korea.

Below: left, Clive meets Professor Cho during Science Walden project in Korea, and right, panel presentation at Global Network of Water Museums

CCANW Archive

Clive recently donated his art and ecology library to Bath Spa University, who helped him create an online CCANW archive. www.cliveadams.art
and www.ccanw.org.uk