An Interview with Louise Burton – Producer, Glow Wild

J: “What inspired the initial concept behind Glow Wild, and how has the event evolved since its inception?”

L: “Our initial inspiration was the idea of being able to walk in beautiful gardens at night. At Wakehurst in particular, it’s just so magical at night as there is no light pollution – you just get this magnificent sense of peace and space, seeing the moon and stars clearly. A very different experience to the daytime. Wakehurst’s landscape offers so many artistic possibilities through its topography, through its planting and through its water bodies.”

“Glow Wild is also a celebration of the people around us. For us staff, it’s about the people we get to work with, in producing the event, from our family of talented artists our fearless arboretum team helping us rig installations into the trees, and our loyal group of volunteers working with us all year. And then, for our visitors, it’s a chance to make memories with family and friends at this time of year. Whilst our route and content changes every year to keep the event fresh, this original idea still holds true. It’s very much a festive tradition for many in Sussex, and it’s a signal of the start of the Christmas season.”

J: “Can you share how this year’s theme or main features differ from previous years and what visitors can look forward to experiencing?”

L: “This year it’s all about the enchanting world of trees. We took inspiration from the beautiful trees we have at Wakehurst and the vital role they play in our lives. This year, the artists have responded to the brief, and given us tree canopies, glistening root networks and a view high over the woods, as we look down on a wealth of woodland creatures, typical of those who also live at Wakehurst. Trees are often overlooked – usually all we see is a wall of green. But when you really stop to notice them, you become aware of the myriad shades of colour and texture. We can enhance this at nighttime with layers of lighting and magical effects, so this comes into play even more. They are nature’s true multi-taskers. Without them we wouldn’t be here, providing the air we breathe. They also co-operate and communicate with each other, give us spaces to play and relax, and foster a deep sense of wellbeing within us. All these ideas will be represented this year at Glow Wild.”

J: “Glow Wild is known for its artistic installations—how do you go about selecting artists, and are there any specific criteria you look for in their work?”

L: “We look for artists that can link their art and ideas to the landscape and it’s part of our criteria that everything is bespoke made for us and not brought in. So much of our aesthetic is using media like willow, paper and woven materials that we use for our trail lanterns. Much of our material is sourced from the Wakehurst estate and gets recycled here too. Complementing the lanterns, are many additional layers of entertainment – from production to projection, lighting, storytelling
and puppetry.”

“Our Trail Curator, Katherine Morton, has the great ability to bring all these elements of the story and theme together into one cohesive experience – that’s full of variety but at the same time feels like it all fits together, as well as being a puppeteer by trade, Katherine is a fantastic lantern-maker herself and has a great eye.”

J: “What role does the local community play in the event, and how do you engage with them in the planning and execution of Glow Wild?”

L: “We work on an 18-month cycle so come January [2025] we are getting the volunteers together for next year’s event. A great range of people are involved for a variation of different reasons. Under Katherine’s guidance, we start creating the shapes and making the lanterns. Our Participation Team at Wakehurst enables a lot of community engagement: some of the groups that have participated for this year’s event are The Tamil learning Centre, Age UK, Mid Sussex Older People’s Council and more. Either Katherine will go to them to deliver a workshop or they come to us, which is all part of getting the community involved. The sense of wellbeing that the workshops deliver never ceases to inspire and amaze me. Community volunteers this year have helped create around 4,000 individual leaves that will be in installed the gardens this year – it’s an immense effort.”

J: “With Glow Wild being an outdoor winter event, weather can be a challenge. How do you ensure the visitor experience remains positive, regardless of conditions?”

L: “Well, there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing! Wellies and waterproofs on! I think a lot of the children have a great time regardless. Spirits are always high and there’s a sense of camaraderie between the staff, stewards and public. We have hot chocolates and marshmallows on the fire so that is always a way to warm yourself up!”