First Person: Clive Adams, director of the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World (CCANW) in Haldon Forest Park

OVER the past 30 years or so, I have curated exhibitions — many with a focus on landscape — in a number of public and private galleries and developed the career of several, now leading, artists including Andy Goldsworthy and Peter Randall-Page.

In 1995, however, I had become increasingly disillusioned with the direction of so much contemporary art and more concerned over environmental issues — particularly the emerging knowledge of climate change.

My idea was to set up the Centre for Contemporary Art and the Natural World, to show how the arts could give a deeper understanding of the importance of sustainability in our lives and of the responsibilities we have within the natural world.

Devon attracted me because of the number of artists who I knew that would be sympathetic to the idea. The forthcoming Millennium Year and National Lottery could, I thought, also provide opportunities to create buildings to house the centre.

Throughout this time, CCANW was encouraged by Devon County Council and the Regional Development Agency. The Arts Council thought us to be 'one of a small number of genuinely visionary projects being developed in the region.'

In 2004, the Arts Council strongly advised us to work together with another partner and — against a background of falling lottery funds — to establish ourselves in phases.

In April 2006, CCANW finally opened a space in Haldon Forest Park by restoring a redundant building at a cost of £88,000, but with our sights still set on a phased development.

Around £50,000 came from the Arts Council, £30,000 from Teignbridge Leader and £8,000 from the Forestry Commission. At the same time, the Forestry Commission completed, with the help of Sport England, new facilities and infrastructure, including 20 miles of new trails for cyclists, walkers and horse-riders.

A cycle hire facility, adventure course and cafe have since been added.

By any measure, Haldon Forest Park is a success. It now attracts around 300,000 visitors a year, and CCANW has welcomed over 120,000 to its exhibitions, workshops, talks and other educational activities since we opened. The activities of both CCANW and the Forestry Commission improve the quality of life of the whole community.

Some may argue that in a time of economic hardship, the budget for the arts and for culture must be cut. The creative industries, however, contribute enormously to the economy of the region and also deliver the very policies that government, councils and development agencies set. For example, to employ the arts as a means to stimulate an understanding of environmental issues and to 'use cultural assets to provide unique selling points to both tourists and investors'.

Put quite simply, education through the arts touches people — creatively and emotionally — in ways that conventional methods of advocacy rarely do.

If you are still in any doubt about the value of the arts, come to the exhibition we have on here at Haldon and in Princetown at the new Duchy Square Centre for Creativity until March 28, only closed Mondays. Art, Ecology and the Economy clearly demonstrates how, by adopting sustainable and environmentally friendly practices, local creative businesses cannot just survive — but thrive!

The centre has been receiving about £5,000-£10,000 a year from Devon County Council, to which it has had to add around £50,000 from other sources to ensure it gets 60 per cent of its funding from the Arts Council.

CCANW have recently launched a fundraising appeal. See www.ccanw.co.uk for more details.