The Loving Earth Project
started as part of an exhibition of Quaker Art at Swarthmoor Hall in 2019 . It quickly generated wide interest and the Quaker Arts Network (QAN) took it on as a project, working initially worked in partnership with Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre , and later with a range of Quaker and other groups and individuals. Dozens of workshops, courses and exhibitions were held between 2000 and 2025, mainly around Britain but also in other parts of Europe and in the Americas and Africa. Over 500 unique and inspiring textile panels have been made.
QAN has remained responsible for the project, with a small steering group of volunteers, but anyone has been welcome to participate in it. QAN is grateful for financial assistance from Westhill, the Southall Trust, The Edith.M.Ellis Charitable Foundation, a number of Quaker Meetings, and others .
Many different community groups, churches, schools and others have been involved in the project; young and old, environmental experts and novices, have shared their ideas, skills, questions, and hopes. It’s been wonderful to make connections with people in different parts of the world, and this has brought brings strength understanding and inspiration.
The Loving Earth Project has now stopped taking new panels for its collection and website, and the project has formally been laid down. However people are continuing to make their own panels to hold local exhibitions and to build on the project in new ways.
In addition, the French Protestant Church (Eglise Protestante Unie de France) has care of a small group of LEP panels and has launched a French version of the project, Par Amour de la Terre, with its own French language resources and a growing number of new textile panels.
Copyright of panels and accompanying texts is held jointly by the Quaker Arts Network and the maker of each panel .
