About - Field Exchange
Field Exchange Brookfield Farm | Tipperary
- Presented by Ailbhe Gerrard
Funded by
- Creative Ireland
- The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications | Creative Climate Action Fund
Field Exchange is all about bringing people together to support creative approaches to sustainable agriculture and addressing climate change.
FIELD EXCHANGE FESTIVAL 2024
What is Field Exchange? Field Exchange has been connecting farmers, artists, agri-technical experts and the public since 2022.
Our Mission: To help agricultural and rural communities become more resilient to the impacts of climate change and use creativity to support their transition to sustainable practices.
How Does it Work? It is a dynamic initiative designed to enhance the dialogue between agriculture and creativity, fostering safe discussions for progressive change in farming. Our project brings together a community of practice across several ‘Exchange Days’ to address the biodiversity crisis.
Ten farmers have joined a dedicated Community of Practice, focused on sustainable farming practices and skill-building, creatively addressing the challenges through a series of Field Exchange Days and Harvest Gatherings. These capacity-building workshops and visits take place over 2 years and offer a unique blend of knowledge, creativity, and community, empowering people to implement positive changes on their farm and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient rural future.
Field Exchange culminates in a Festival featuring site-specific artworks, agricultural and joyful creative gatherings with a structured focus on developing a longer and more meaningful engagement with farmers and local communities.
Enjoy agroforestry demonstrations, craft workshops, panel discussions, farm walks, guest speakers, visual arts, music performances, crafts, local food, and site- specific art works. Field Exchange is partnering with the Irish Agroforestry Ireland Forum (IAF) and the Dry Stone Wall Association of Ireland (DSWAI) as well as internationally renowned artists Ackroyd & Harvey along with designers Elements of Action.
The festival will also feature a debut performance from The Company of Trees -– a new music and spoken word performance by Michael James Ford and Philip Dodd and performed by Susannah De Wrixon, Michael James Ford, Kyle Hixon and the Delamaine String Quartet.
Field Exchange 2022
Our inaugural festival was launched by First Lady Sabina Higgins and concluded by Minister Catherine Martin who also spoke at our closing conference and Harvest Feast. The successful programme brought over 500 participants to Brookfield Farm to learn and share knowledge on organic and sustainable agriculture practices.
The 2022 edition of Field Exchange ran over an intense four-month period, providing spaces for exchanges around 12 different themes on practical solutions for organic farming practices. The desire for a deeper exchange and longitudinal network of farmers and general public was strongly voiced by Field Exchange participants.