There is a lot happening in 2025 with new partnerships and projects inspired by Imagine Bamboo:
Brilliant Bamboo CIC in Stoke-on-Trent
Brilliant Bamboo, based in Stoke-on-Trent, established by founder and creative director Gemma Thomas following Imagine Bamboo at Keele Green Festival in 2023. Brilliant Bamboo has already gathered 200 baby bamboo plants, secured a brownfield site for a pop up Bamboo Parklet, co-commissioned two murals and a bamboo bench, launched a podcast series and invited local artist-makers to join a series of bamboo masterclasses. You can find out more here.
Brilliant Bamboo will be hosting the 5th UK Bamboo Summit in Stoke-on-Trent on Friday 10th October 2025, together with Orit and the Bamboo in the UK group.
Summer of Bamboo at Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Romsey, Hampshire, 19th July - 7th September 2025
Sir Harold Hillier Gardens has an impressive collection of bamboo plants and generously donated bamboo culms to Imagine Bamboo projects and Nofit State's BAMBOO circus show. Summer of Bamboo includes an exhibition of bamboo artworks, originally commissioned as part of Imagine Bamboo in Nuneaton & Bedworth, exhibited at the UK Bamboo Summit in Coventry in 2024 and now coming home, to reside at Hillier Gardens for the summer. Also on holiday from the Midlands is Sandra's Story, a bench and artwork by Spencer Jenkins, co-created with Middleport Matters, Brilliant Bamboo and communities in Stoke-on-Trent - and made with bamboo harvested at Hillier Gardens. Check out the two age appropriate bamboo trails and find more about what what's happening here.
BAMBOO, a touring outdoor circus theatre show produced by Nofit State Circus
A new version of Nofit State's BAMBOO premiered at the prestigious Out There international arts festival in Great Yarmouth, located on the beach alongside Compagnie Moso and Bamboology. BAMBOO circus is touring UK and Europe until the end of September 2025. Tour dates can be found here.
Artist as Activist, Zambia
The Artist as Activist project in Zambia invited partners, artists and communities in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Lusaka to explore what structures, stories and performances can be built, designed, played and imagined with Zambian grown bamboo and recycled plastic waste. A collaboration between Circus Zambia, Zukani Action Zambia, Nofit State Circus and Imagine Bamboo / Orit Azaz.