A Forest of Imagination is growing

The line-up of events and art being showcased at Wokingham Borough Forest of Imagination has been revealed. 

Parts of Dinton Pastures Country Park are being transformed for the event, which is open to local schools on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 May with a showcase weekend for all on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 May.

The new Forest Shelter outdoor classroom and community facility is currently being installed and will remain a legacy of the event at the country park in the years ahead.

Artists are finalising their installations including colourful Biodiversity Totems, topped with local creatures, and giant insect antennae, all inspired by Dinton’s biodiverse inhabitants, as well as Andrew Amondson’s Walking With prompts amongst a host of creative experiences. 

What you’ll find on showcase weekend

View the current schedule of events and workshops for the weekend on the event website, as well as a map of what you’ll discover, including:

• Mother Nature’s Special Guests - You’re invited to Mother Nature’s emergency meeting! Become a creature of your choice — seahorse? blackbird? Create your own animal mask with feathers, fur, or pine needles!
• Forests, People and Endangered Animals - Step inside another world in this workshop. Explore immersive digital storyworlds and short films. Travel from the UK to the Amazon via the Philippines and India with soundscapes and powerful global stories
• Exploring Biodiversity with the Natural History Museum and National Education Nature Park - Learn to map habitats, boost biodiversity, and explore nature with all your senses in this hands-on Nature Map Journey
• Drawing With Nature - Create art using natural materials like squishy mud, twisty twigs, and colourful stones to express yourself through the forest
• Curious Lines - Explore how lines represent connection, movement, and meaning. Play with collaborative making and sensory exploration in nature
• Bugs Bugs Bugs: A Critterly Crowd of Scrappy Stools - Build your own “bug” stool using scrap timber in this playful workshop celebrating insects, circular design, and imagination
• Earth Club Field Station - Step into a world where art, science, and storytelling come together in this hands-on creative experience. Meet the Earth Dwellers and explore a different theme each session
• More Than Human Portraits - Capture portraits using textures and materials from the Forest as your medium. Explore identity through connection with nature
• Stop Motion Animation Workshop - Create a short stop-motion film using iPads and forest materials. Build models, animate, and tell your own woodland story
• Forest Creature Making Workshop - Sculpt birds, insects, and mythical beasts from foil. Finish with weatherproof material and create your own forest companion to take home
• What Do We Imagine? - Join Dr Penny Hay and Wayne Lindsay to explore how imagination, inspired by nature, can help shape an inclusive and sustainable future for Wokingham Borough
• Walking With - Walking and weaving is a wondering wander through the Forest of Imagination, finding connections to nature and one another along the way

Schools and community workshops

Wokingham Borough’s Forest of Imagination 2025 is bringing a celebration of nature-themed art and cultural experiences to people of all ages and from all walks of life. 

Since February there have been dozens of free workshops for residents, businesses and schools. Hundreds of people have taken part, including pupils at 14 primary, secondary and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) schools.

Schools have been invited to attend workshops on 22 and 23 May, to see the installations and artworks they’ve been involved with in the run up to the showcase. 

Cllr Mark Ashwell, executive member for economic development, sport, leisure and the arts, said: “There’s less than two weeks to go until this special event for the borough, we look forward to seeing residents making the most of this unique event.

“The event is a chance to deepen your connection with nature, through the fantastic array of participatory activities, performances and digital experiences. There really is something for everyone to enjoy across the weekend.”

Working together 

The council has partnered with Bath Spa University, House of Imagination and Grant Associates to bring the award-winning Forest of Imagination to the borough.

The project is fully funded by a grant from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Forest of Imagination has run successfully as a pop-up contemporary arts event in Bath since 2014, but this is the first time it has sprung up elsewhere in the country.

Dr Penny Hay, Professor of Imagination at Bath Spa University, said: “We are grateful for all the creative and ingenious work by our artists, creative partners, schools and communities, bringing Forest of Imagination to life in Wokingham Borough”

Cllr Prue Bray, deputy leader and executive member for children's services, said: “I’m excited to see the borough come together for this special, unique event for the region.

“Combining arts, culture and education, at Dinton Pastures, Forest of Imagination Wokingham Borough will be a weekend you don’t want to miss. It’s free for all to drop in and take part in the events and workshops in these beautiful countryside surroundings.”

Funded by Government

The project has received £516,817 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK, investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills.

For more information, visit the UK Shared Prosperity Fund website.