It Only Takes One Seed
The Local Challenge
Barnsley, once defined by coal and heavy industry, still bears the scars of its mining past in its landscapes, health, and levels of deprivation. Ranked the 39th most deprived borough in the UK, it faces unemployment, low educational attainment, and political division. Yet Barnsley also has a thriving cultural scene and a growing ambition to become greener and more sustainable. After declaring a climate emergency in 2019, the council set “Zero 40” and “Sustainable Barnsley” goals. The challenge is how to empower communities to feel part of this green transition, nurturing hope and action at a time of ecological crisis.
The Initiative
Barnsley Libraries and Creative Recovery will transform the atrium of the Library @ The Lightbox into a vibrant green hub, filled with positive messages, artistic interventions, and a dedicated Seed Library. International artist Morag Mysercough will lead hands-on workshops with Creative Recovery participants, encouraging communities to reclaim nature “one seed at a time.” Alongside this, satellite branches with community gardens will host creative workshops and taster sessions, ensuring borough-wide participation. Seeds will also be delivered to home library service users. Rooted in wellbeing and sustainability, the programme blends art, gardening, and conversation to reframe Barnsley as a place of creativity and environmental care.
What’s Next?
The project will give residents a sense of ownership over their environment by making green action tangible, creative, and shared. Free access to Seed Libraries and gardening groups will encourage people to re-green homes, libraries, and community spaces—creating oases for nature while reducing isolation and improving wellbeing. Participants will feel empowered to take small actions that ripple outwards, sparking conversations and visible change. The project will also shift perceptions of Barnsley from a post-industrial town to a place that is green, thriving, and forward-looking. For the library, this work reinforces its role as a hub for hope, creativity, and community.
Contact theeuropechallenge@culturalfoundation.eu if you have any questions or want to be connected with the team behind the project.
