Art & Culture: La Luminata at The Big Chill Festival

La Luminata sent roving music reporter Chrissy Carr to the Big Chill Music Festival to check out their eco practises, art and creativity. Here's what she got up to...

I've been to my fair share of festivals over the years, Glastonbury three times, Reading three times and the now defunct Pheonix Festival and many local ones too. In other words - I love them. So I was intrigued to find out how the Big Chill would differ from the rest and how it would score on it's ecological points.

The first thing that grabs you when you get to the site of Eastnor Castle, near Ledbury in the West Midlands, is the natural beauty and brimming wildlife which inhabits the setting. The second are the harmonious decorations which adorn the fields and lakes. There were white dresses hanging from trees, which if you peddled hard enough on the static bikes, would light up.

The Big Chill's festival 'motto' so to speak, is LEAVE NO TRACE, which may sound like a serial killer's mantra but was in fact a constant reminder to everyone to keep the place nice and tidy. If anyone knows me, they will know how happy that made me feel!

Memories of crunching a carpet of plastic cups under my feet at Reading are long gone at the Big Chill. This is a place where the festival goers and organisers do their utmost to keep the site litter free. This was made easy for everyone by having regularly cleaned out bins littering the site (did you see what I did there?). Each set of six bins was brightly and clearly labeled, so even if you had had a tipple too many, it was simple to dispose of your rubbish in the right place.

The quality of the food stalls at the Big Chill has to be commended highly. Each meal I had was delicious. I very much enjoyed the slap up meal from the Thali tent by a bunch of hardworking guys making vegetarian Indian food.

Music-wise I'd say that Basement Jaxx were the best band of the festival as they played with such exuberance and put on such a fantastic show. I also loved poets John Cooper Clarke and John Hegley - both were very funny and original.

What I took most from my weekend at the Big Chill (now this might sound a bit hippyish, but who cares) was a feeling of being in a very peaceful and relaxing environment surrounded by amazing Oak trees. Everyone who I talked to appreciated the natural beauty of Eastnor Castle and exuded loveliness.

by Chrissy Carr

Art & Culture: Peppermint

Calling all crafters, sewers and self-stylists. Peppermint Magazine is a treat for the eyes and hands of the creatively minded. Featuring a real girl in her own clothes on the front cover, recycled pages, interviews from craft-makers and natural beauty. This is the magazine version of a cute craft blog.

Art & Culture: Gang Up Magazine

Brighton is officially buzzing with creativity and awaiting the launch of 'Gang Up Magazine', the masterplan first issue created by Brightonians DarkDaze, Louie Banks,  DayGloPoster, Partie! Partie!, Ophelia Fancy, Sally F**king Reynolds and Delarge. This is great news for Brighton, which is saturated by fantastic talent and will have its own platform to express this. I await good things!

Art & Culture: Have Wings Must Fly

The Butterfly Book is designed in memory of charity fundraiser Claire Wadley and includes sketches, paintings and poems from celebrities including Stephen Fry, Jeffrey Archer, Manolo Blahnik, Simon Schama andMatthew Williamson.

Claire Wadley was 25 when she lost her fight against leukaemia, having battled the disease for seven years, and dedicating much of her time to raising money for Leukaemia Research. Claire loved butterflies and at her funeral, when a butterfly was seen flying in the rafters of the church, it gave her friends and family great hope.

The Butterfly Book by Laura-Jane Foley, includes butterfly images, poems and messages from famous names and is available for £25. A limited edition book costs £100 and includes one piece of original artwork submitted. All profits from book sales go to Leukaemia Research.

To find out more, or to buy the Butterfly Book please visit
www.leukaemiashop.com or email order@leukaemiashop.com.

Art & Culture: Wonderland

Hands up who is as excited about Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland as I am?

Not only my favourite story, but also one of the most imaginative narratives that I have ever come across, not to mention that its being recreated by one of the best filmakers of all time.

Anyone read Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass?, perhaps one of the most surreal childrens books that has ever existed and which has had a massive influence on my creativity as a child, (thanks dad)...It's is such great news that we will see this vivid and colourful world come alive through Tim Burton's eyes!

Art & Culture: Buy a Painting, Build a Museum…

Scottish artist, Peter Howson has donated a never-before-seen 6x4ft painting, estimated to be worth £50,000, of Robert Burns to help fundraise towards the completion of a new museum being built in honour of Robert Burns.

The painting can be seen here, where it has been completely covered in pixels. Site visitors can purchase a block of pixels for £10 (which will go towards building the museum), and have a chance to win the painting.

Art & Culture: The Art of Garden Photography

It must be the season for learning... Art Organics photographer Gill Orsman is holding a photography course in picturesque Cornwall. Book your place here now.