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Forest of Imagination takes root in Bath

Friday, 13 May, 2016


A pop-up contemporary arts event with a conservation theme is back in Bath for the third year running.

Bath Spa University is a key event collaborator for the 2016 Forest of Imagination event which will take place from Friday 3 until Monday 6 June.

Spaces around Bath Abbey will be transformed into a temporary fantastical forest and outdoor gallery by a collective of local artists and creative businesses during the free, four-day event.

Visitors can immerse themselves in sensory installations, artworks, outdoor theatre and participatory creative activities.

This year the event theme is ‘Eyes of the Forest’. It aims to suggest interesting and imaginative ways of seeing forests and their importance to global ecosystems.

Forest of Imagination is the brainchild of a collaborative team of Bath-based businesses, including landscape architects Grant Associates, arts-based charity 5x5x5=creativity, creative consultancy Imaginnovation and architects Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.

It aims to highlight the inherent creativity of Bath and connect people with nature by reinventing spaces in the city to inspire intuitive play, unleash imagination and encourage exploration.

Last year’s event was based in Queen’s Square and welcomed over 7,000 visitors.

Penny Hay, Director, 5x5x5=creativity and Senior Lecturer at Bath Spa University, said: “Creativity and imagination can enhance wellbeing and transform lives. Forest of Imagination offers an immersive experience that is inspired by nature and encourages adults and children to enjoy their own imagination and creativity. The event is a showcase for Bath as a hotbed of innovation and artistic exploration.”

Andrew Grant, Director, Grant Associates, said: “2016’s Forest of Imagination aims to transform central spaces in Bath into temporary forests that inspire the imagination, and highlight the interconnectivity of forests and cities across the globe. The ‘Eyes of the Forest’ theme emphasises seeing and experiencing these familiar environments from unusual perspectives to inform and engage visitors in their messages of conservation and creativity.”

For more information visit www.forestofimagination.com