The National Forest have launched a new, free series of events across Burton and Coalville this summer, with opportunities for local people to connect with artists in beautiful green spaces. 

The initiate includes a range of workshops, artist residencies and co-creation sessions developed for the community, by the community. 

From poetry and printmaking to puppetry and street art, these exciting artist collaborations will deliver a unique range of cultural experiences to celebrate our connection in the area to arts and green spaces. 

Earth Narratives combines poetry and tests written by local women (Photo: National Forest)

'Earth Narratives' will bring together poetry and texts written by women from Burton on Trent and the surrounding areas exploring themes of nature, womanhood, spirituality and community. The women involved have all taken part in a programme run by poet and producer Hafsah Aneela Bashir and their bold and reflective words will be displayed on a series of billboards and as an exhibition at Burton Library. 

Tales of Rootkin will be touring, visiting green spaces in Burton, Stapenhill and Uttoxeter (Photo: National Forest)

TREES – A Tale of Rootkin, a brand-new puppetry and storytelling show, will tour parks and green spaces across East Staffordshire. These sessions are perfect for families, nature lovers and anyone who is willing to believe in a little bit of woodland magic. The performance will explore what we can learn from the trees and how we can apply these lessons to better care for the planet and each other. 

Artist Alistar Gentry will present Of Dolls and Trees, a series of pop-up festivals in Coalville drawing on the rich local history of industry and toy making. These slow, collective and gentle adventures will blend joyful peculiarity with the child-like connection to dolls and the whimsy we can take from the natural world. 

Curbarium is celebrating the wild flowers in our towns and how they co-exist with urban life (Photo: National Forest)

Curbarium, a print and street art project by artists Trish Evans and Nick Humphreys of INSTAR and local young people, will show off Coalville's vibrant wildflowers. This project combines an exhibition, printed booklet and large-scale outdoor artwork, focussing on the ecological significance and untold stories of urban plant life. 

This nature arts initiative has been developed by the National Forest and has been developed in partnership with Coalville CAN, Enrych, Burton Women's Collective, Brewhouse Arts, Burton Library and Staffordshire County Council. 

Exhibition time and locations: 

Earth Narratives 

• 8th September – 4th October – Earth Billboard, Branston Road, Burton upon Trent 
• 8th – 22nd September - Earth Narratives Digital Billboard featuring Haikus & poetry extracts, Station Street, Paget Street & Horninglow Road North, Burton upon Trent 
• 8th September - 4th October - Exhibition at Burton Library 

TREES – A Tale of Rootkin 

• 1st August - 11am to 3pm – Brewhouse on Tour, Stapenhill Gardens 
• 7th August - 11am to 3pm – Brewhouse on Tour, Tutbury Mill and Outwoods 
• 20th August - 11am to 3pm – Play Day, Shobnall Leisure Complex, Burton 
• 21 August, 11am to 3pm – Brewhouse on Tour, Bramshall Road Park, Uttoxeter 
• 28 August, 11.30am to 2.30pm – Trent & Dove Family Fun Day, Waterside Community Centre, Stapenhill 
• Thursday 29 August, 11am to 3pm – Brewhouse on Tour, The Washlands, Burton 

Of Dolls and Trees 

(Free events combining nature, creativity and Coalville's industrial past. Limited capacity, booking required) - https://bit.ly/3IKwtcL 

• 20th August - 11am to 1pm – Dollville, Snibston Collery Park, near the cafe 
• 20th August - 2pm to 4pm – Coalville, Snibston Colliery Park 
• 21st August - 12pm to 2pm – Treeville, Tiny Forest, near Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre 
• 21st August - 3pm to 5pm – Peopleville, Hermitage Fishing Lake and Recreation Ground 

• 31st July – 16th August – Curbarium Exhibition at Coalville CAN 
• 13th August – 10th September – Curbarium Outdoor artwork at Belvoir Shopping Centre 
• 13th August  – Coalville CAN, Memorial Square, Coalville, LE67 3TU for:  
• 11am – 12pm – Zine making workshop 
• 2pm – 3.30pm - Wildflower chalk and walk – meet at Belvoir Shopping Centre 
• 5pm – 7pm – Carbarium exhibition viewing, including informal artist talks at 6pm