Welcome to Reviving Folktales! This is a yearly project created by the Art Foundation Illustration pathway at Brighton MET College in partnership with the South Downs National Park. Through storytelling, students explore and reimagine local folktales as a way to reconnect people with the natural landscape of the South Downs.

At a time when our bond with nature feels more important than ever, Reviving Folktales offers fresh perspectives on old stories. By blending traditional tales with contemporary voices, the project encourages new ways of thinking about local heritage and the environment we share.

This website acts as a living record of the project capturing not just the finished artworks and stories, but also the creative journeys and conversations behind them. Our hope is that these stories, both old and new, continue to grow and be passed on.

With help from local artists and support from the South Downs National Park, we have explored how storytelling brings people together and helps us understand the world around us. Inside, you’ll find a mix of traditional Sussex folktales and imaginative reinterpretations - proof of the enduring power of stories to connect us to place, community, and each other.