OpenAREA Debuts at Camley Street Reserve: A Fusion of Nature and Culture

      This autumn, OpenAREA is debuting its flagship six-day initiative at Camley Street nature reserve, turning an urban green space into a vibrant platform for art, music, food, and thought, in collaboration with Salomon. Sign up HERE to participate throughout the six days.

      Founded by creative director and cultural strategist Ollie Olanipekun (of Flock Together), OpenAREA is rooted in the concept of New Nature: a movement that encourages abandoning outdated perceptions of the outdoors and reconceptualizing nature as a foundation for creativity, identity, and community.

      The issue has never been nature itself, but rather our perception of it. For far too long, green spaces have been viewed merely as backdrops, getaways, or retreats, accompanied by barriers, dress codes, and exclusivity that left many behind. Consequently, a generation has grown up with cultural and identity references that offer little connection or significance when it comes to nature.

      OpenAREA shifts this perspective. It reinterprets nature not as a place to escape, but as a resource for storytelling, energy, and presence. It’s a space that calls for engagement rather than translation. Ollie Olanipekun initiated Flock Together in 2020, a birdwatching community that redefined nature as a source of joy, community, and visibility. What started as a simple invitation has evolved into a global movement.

      Through this endeavor, Ollie recognized that the disconnect lay not with people, but with existing frameworks. Nature wasn’t inaccessible; it was simply misrepresented. This awareness developed into the philosophy of New Nature, and now serves as the foundation for OpenAREA. Ollie’s influence in the field has led to roles as an ambassador for WWF and RSPB, as well as a cultural advocate for the London Wildlife Trust.

      OPENAREA 2025 – FLAGSHIP PROGRAMME

      Dates: 30 September – 5 October 2025

      Location: Camley Street Nature Reserve, London

      Over six days, cultural programming will be curated daily by various creative forces. There will be no main stage or restricted VIP areas; the reserve itself becomes the focal point. Highlights will feature prominent figures in art, design, and music collaborating. The experience will unify food, sound, and setting into a complete site-wide interaction, with artist collaborators including: ATT, Daryan Knoblauch, Elliot Fox, Charlie Boyden, Rachy McEwan, Joel SP, Charlotte Werth, James Massiah, Lord Tusk, Joviale, Coby Sey, Roxanne, Maiya, Cajm, Canje, Oduenyi/Tribe, Foundation.

Massive Attack have refuted online claims that they utilize facial recognition technology in their live performances. The Bristol-based project is at the cutting edge of technology, art, and progressive political movements, strongly advocating for eco-politics and solidarity with Palestine. They frequently employ satire in their acts to critique authoritarian mindsets, although it appears one particular reference has been misunderstood by some. During an animated segment, the band parodied the implementation of facial recognition, which led to inaccurate reports suggesting that Massive Attack is collecting data from their audience. In a statement, the iconic Bristol group labeled these claims as "outright lies" while seeking to clarify the situation. “Last week, several platforms, including ‘Somewhere.Media’, ‘Hidden’, and others published stories concerning our live show and the supposed use of live facial recognition technology. “Propagated through the mindless replication channels of AI-generated Instagram accounts, the ‘story’ gained momentum, and between entertainment platforms and AI clone thought, nobody took the time to fact-check. Falsehoods and blatant lies spread alongside likes and shares. ‘Somewhere Media’ failed to adhere to any basic reporting standards, claiming that show material was ‘sourced from public databases.’” “No Massive Attack live show has ever recorded or retained personal data,” they further noted; “Only government bodies, authorized entities, and licensed contractors can access public databases in the UK, and it would be impossible to do this across multiple cities/countries.” Massive Attack went on to criticize the usage of public facial recognition in the UK, stating that the government is “exceeding almost all other western democracies in its use of public facial recognition … while there exists no specific legislation governing police use of these systems.” Recently, Massive Attack made an appearance at Kneecap’s OVO Wembley Arena concert to publicly support the Belfast band.

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OpenAREA Debuts at Camley Street Reserve: A Fusion of Nature and Culture

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OpenAREA Debuts at Camley Street Reserve: A Fusion of Nature and Culture