It’s time to dust off your gnomen (look it up), astrolabes and sextants once again as we approach Sun’s standstill, sunstead, solstitium or Solstice.

Here’s a walking provocation for you and an invitation to respond to celestial forces and seasonal change.

Here’s the provocation’s title: Watching Sunstead. Observations made while walking on the Longest/Shortest Day

As expected this provocation involves a bit of serendipity; some navigation; a walk (of what ever length you desire); some observations and responses and a bit of determination.

Date
The Northern Hemisphere’s Summer solstice and the Southern Hemisphere’s Winter Solstice will be celebrated on Sunday 21st June. 

Your walk can take place at anytime on this date. 

The Walk
The walk can start and finish at a location of your choosing

It can be as long or as short as you determine – the 3 pivotal moments on the day will be sunrise, mid day and sunset. Your walk might be made to last all day or alternatively it might last only a few minutes

You might be following a known route, but hopefully you’ll find a new location far from the limits of your familiarity

Note your responses and observations – which can be in a form of your choice – still or moving images, the written or spoken word, prose or poetry, ritual, performance etc.

Once complete selected works will be curated and assembled as a video and posted on a host site (YouTube or Vimeo).

Costs
There are no submission fees involved and no prizes. Just enjoy the act of creating.

Selection
15 artist’s work will be selected and assembled into an online video gallery.

Videos
The video format is 1920×1080 pixels landscape.
Please recognise that photographs, drawings etc will need to fit this size.

Still images
Portrait or landscape format?
Please be aware that still images will best be shown in landscape mode to fit the video format.

Length of videos, music and voice recordings
These should be no longer than 2 minutes.

Written Word
Please be aware that video isn’t best medium for reading lengthy text.
Each screen can contain around 60 words which will take about 25 seconds to read – so please limit your work to 4 screens worth.
You might prefer to make a 2 minute sound recording of any written pieces.

Statements
Please include a brief statement of no more than 50 words and a separate file.
Additionally please include your location at the bottom of your text – this can be in the form of your general location.
(Mine is Edge, Stroud, Gloucestershire UK).

You could also include a map reference or if you feel particularly adventurous try using your location from what3words.com (here’s the location for a place in Oxford UK: https://w3w.co/pretty.needed.chill).

Maps
Include a map, either a formal, official map like Ordnance Survey, or one of your own making.

Collaboration
If you care to work with another artist/s to produce a collaborative work, please get in touch.
If you’d like to work with anther artist but don’t have anyone in mind I’ll be happy to facilitate putting you in touch.

Submission date
Please submit your work between 14th and 18th July when entries close.

Sending work
Please send your work via wetransfer.com to my email address kel@artworks.eu.com.

Finally
if you’d like to participate, please get back to me (kel@artworks.eu.com adding YES in the subject line of your email like this:

June Solstice 2026 | a provocation | Expressions of interest | YES

Questions?
Just drop me a line

Previous provocations can be viewed on my YouTube channel @kelarrowsmith7654.