Go clubbing and running to support planting urban trees

As artificial spaces, clubs struggle to embrace the organic environment. The music and arts collective Noise of Art are bridging the gap by working with the charity Trees for Cities, with DJs donating their time to raise funds for planting trees in London. On 17 September, Noise of Art is working with Trees for Cities at Battersea Park and taking over the Village Underground for a fundraising event.

The events are supported by the Cultural Programme of the European Union and are part of the pan-European Metiss’age street art festival. During the day (between 10am and 3pm), Battersea Park will see the Tree-Athlon half-marathon, with street painting and music taking place alongside. Art-clubbing follows in the evening, from 9:30pm, at east London’s Village Underground.

Trees for Cities evolved out of 1990s club nights, where DJs gave their time. Over 225,000 trees have been planted in inner cities to date.

As well as the Tree-Athlon, Battersea Park will host interactive street painting created by London artist Miss Led, artist Mark Scott Wood’s mythical creatures, dancers, DJs and live bands. There will also be stalls, information about tree planting, an attempt at the barefoot 100m world record and a solar-powered mobile music stage that folds out of a VW camper van.

In the evening, Village Underground will be taken over by Peter Kruder (Kruder and Dorfmiester), Si Begg (Mute/Mutate), Ashley Beedle (Outhear Audio/Dark Star/Xpress 2), Ben Osborne (Noise of Art/Slipped Disco) and more. It’s a rare London appearance by Kruder. After his daytime activities, Mark Scott Wood will showcase his anti-fashion show. Surround visuals and costumed contemporary dancers round it out.

Good thing there’s an opportunity to rest between the day’s two events.

• To join the Tree-Athlon run see the Trees for Cities website

• Buy tickets for the Noise of Art Trees for Cities night at Village Underground on 17 September

• The Noise of Art website

Watch Trees for Cities’s explanatory video

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