Country park set to host four-day arts event

Indy Almroth-Wright
BBC News
Forest of Imagination Crowd of people standing around in a circle inside a fence made from wooden branches. A man is speaking in front of a giant, white inflated rabbit.Forest of Imagination
It is the first time the arts project, started in Bath in 2014, has branched out to a another location

A path of giant insect antennae and towering totems topped with creatures are set to take over a country park for a nature-themed arts and culture event.

The pop-up Forest of Imagination event will see parts of Dinton Pastures in Hurst, Berkshire, transformed into an arts and culture space for four days.

The event will feature a number of sensory installations, storytelling, performances, digital experiences and arts and crafts workshops.

Sessions for 14 schools are being held on 22 and 23 May, before the free event opens to the public on 24 and 25 May.

Forest of Imagination A row of buckets and canes with a channel running between them and plants surrounding them. A young girl is standing at the furthest end in the distance.Forest of Imagination
The outdoor classroom built for the event will remain at Dinton to be used as an outdoor learning space

It is the first time the arts project, started in Bath in 2014, has branched outside of the city.

Dr Penny Hay, co-founder of Forest of Imagination at at Bath Spa University, said: "We're delighted to be working with so many schools and cultural organisations across the borough, bringing Forest of Imagination to Wokingham borough as our first event outside Bath.

"Forest of Imagination invites everyone to have a conversation about the importance of nature, imagination and the arts in all our lives."

The event's outdoor classroom, built to host workshops throughout the weekend, will remain at Dinton to be used as an outdoor learning space.

Wokingham Borough Council said the project had been possible thanks to funding from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

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