2025 has been a remarkable year for Brilliant Bamboo, filled with innovation, community engagement and new experiences.
We have started to transform a disused urban space in the heart of Stoke, commissioned two beautiful murals and brought people together to learn new skills, take part in hands-on activities and enjoy performances, all themed around the sustainable and creative potential of bamboo.
In total, we have welcomed 1,711 audience members and participants provided 126 paid opportunities for artists and creatives and worked with 36 volunteers, as well as being joined by 236 online participants.
Five highlights of Brilliant Bamboo’s 2025
1. UK Bamboo Summit 2025
The UK Bamboo Summit 2025, held in the Vaults at the Goods Yard in Stoke in October, gathered national and international experts, designers and community practitioners to explore bamboo’s potential in industry, design and sustainability. With 100 people in attendance and 125 online on the day, we explored the question ‘If bamboo is the planet’s fastest-growing sustainable resource, why isn’t it growing, researched, fabricated, and built with at scale across the UK, starting here in Stoke-on-Trent?’. Several high-profile initiatives were launched during the event, including the unveiling of a bamboo house prototype and the launch of a new company.
With thanks to speakers, contributors, partners and funders.
2. Brilliant Botanicals
The Brilliant Botanicals initiative connected the creative and sustainable possibilities of bamboo with Stoke-on-Trent’s pottery heritage, honouring the city’s ceramic history and exploring traditional surface pattern designs. Artists Rob Fenton and Reiko Kaneko created two different but visually connected murals, working closely throughout with our director Gemma Thomas, from setting the brief together to shaping ideas and collaborating through feedback. The two murals offer a lasting legacy in Stoke town centre and along the canal, and a new way to experience the city’s heritage and evolving story.
3. Bamboo-Castle activity day in Newcastle
Our Bamboo-Castle event brought together children, families and community members in Newcastle-under-Lyme for an inspiring day of bamboo fun in August in partnership with Newcastle BID and Markets. We teamed up with internationally acclaimed NoFit State Circus and immersive creators Pif Paf Theatre to bring a day packed with free performances, hands-on activities with artists from Brilliant Bamboo and inspiring ideas for people and the planet.
4. Discover Bamboo & Middleport collaboration
In partnership with Middleport Matters, we co-created bamboo sculptures and furniture with artists and local residents. The project strengthened community ties, demonstrated the adaptability of bamboo as a material and reflected our dedication to collaborative, creative and place-based projects that leave a lasting impact. We were especially proud when the Sandra’s Story bench, a project led by artist Spencer Jenkins, went on display at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Hampshire, where the bamboo used to make it had been grown and harvested.
5. Masterclasses with arts and makers
During February, March and April 2025, we invited a range of artists and makers to apply to be a part of our collective to develop their interest, skills and hands-on experience using bamboo as a material. Our masterclasses took place in ACAVA Studios on the historic Spode site in Stoke town, led by Jo Pocock, James Marr, Atelier One and Spencer Jenkins. We took our newly prototyped dome – made with our masterclass artists and students from the University of Staffordshire’s School of Architecture, with leadership and engineering from Chris Matthews from Atelier One – to B Arts’s A Place to Dwell event in Stoke town market square in March.
Of course, one major highlight of the year was the launch of our Brilliant Bamboo brownfield parklet – which deserves a top 5 list of its own.
1. Launching the Brownfield Parklet
Securing the land for the Brownfield Parklet transformed a disused site into a vibrant community space. We signed a 10-year lease on an approximately one-acre plot on the edge of Sainsbury’s car park in Stoke, on land formerly occupied by the Trent & Crescent pottery factory and neighbouring the historic Minton Pottery. Developed as part of the Stoke High Street Accelerator Green Space Project, with funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, through Stoke-on-Trent City Council, the parklet became home to a range of bamboo-based projects, hosting workshops, creative activities, and community events.
2. Team & Volunteer Days
We’re happy to have hosted a range of volunteer and team days at our home in Stoke.
Many hands made the move to the new site go smoothly in July!
In August the parklet hosted a team away day for Together Active, bringing staff together to connect with the space and each other. They explored sustainable materials, took part in hands-on activities and made their own creative installations.
In November, we hosted a two-week project with the Kings Trust based at Stoke-on-Trent College, where we met a range of brilliant young people who helped us clear, build, had a go with a range of artists we’ve worked with at the site.
In December, we welcomed Capula based in Stone supported by our friends at VAST. On a crisp day, we built walls and benches, finished decking, clearer bramble and litter and a little unpacking of a bamboo delivery.
These have inspired us to host more away days and corporate volunteering opportunities, full and half days are available: Contact Us for details.
3. NoFit State Circus visit
Our friends NoFit State Circus visited the parklet for a special free performance of their show BAMBOO, a high-impact, high-skill outdoor circus production using only bamboo and human bodies. We were delighted to welcome our neighbours and local residents to the parklet for their first look at the site and this spectacular performance, as well as creative bamboo-themed activities.
4. Wonderful Wormery workshop
Residents were invited to hands-on wormery workshop to construct a composting system which would be home to the parklet’s newest invertebrate residents. Emma Lilley and Sam Evans from Wormwise guided us in the process, which combined our values of environmental sustainability and creativity. Artist Olivia Azzopardi was commissioned to create an interactive, bright and playful three-dimensional mural on a reclaimed wood pallet planter to house the wormery.
5. Seasonal community workshops
The parklet hosted a series of seasonal events and workshops, from broom-making and screen-printing to building pallet walls, combining community engagement, creativity, practical skills and improving the site together. One resident summed it up: “I’m surprised how lovely you can make scrap land just by putting people in it” – and that’s what we hope to do: make the parklet a welcoming, safe, inspiring and playful space for everyone.
Cheers to 2025! And, excitement for 2026!
Thank you to our funders, for donations and ongoing support:
- UK Bamboo Summit 2025: ticket buyers, donations, part-funding from #UKSPF from Stoke-on-Trent City Council and their City of Imagination grant, and Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.
- Brilliant Botanicals: Funded as part of the Stoke-on-Trent City Council High Street Accelerator with funds from UK Government.
- Bamboo-Castle activity day in Newcastle: Funded as part of our #UKSPF project with Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council
- Discover Bamboo & Middleport collaboration: Funded as part of Middleport Matters’ Discover Middleport #UKSPF project by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
- Masterclasses with arts and makers: Funded as part of the Stoke-on-Trent City Council High Street Accelerator with funds from UK Government.
Funders for the Brilliant Bamboo Brownfield Parklet: Set up funding as part of the Stoke-on-Trent City Council High Street Accelerator with funds from UK Government. Thanks to the Warburtons Community Fund, the Arnold Clark Community Fund, and National Lottery Community Fund.
Photographs by: Ayad Al-Ani, Dan Southward, Holly Johnson, Kings Trust November 2025 members, Nat Willatt and Rob Fenton.