Clouds, with their ever-changing forms and colours, offer a mesmerizing and accessible way to connect with nature.
"Look Up" encourages people to pause and engage with the sky, allowing a deeper connection with the world around them. By simply looking up and observing the clouds, individuals can experience a moment of mindfulness and wonder, breaking away from the hustle and bustle of daily life.
With sensory play, arts and crafts, performances, and an immersive outdoor installation created by Gobbledegook Theatre, this project aims to enhance awareness and appreciation of the natural beauty that often goes unnoticed.
Lie down on giant comfy beanbags, or in our all-weather cloud gazing pods, and look up to the skies, in this new cloud-gazing sound installation. Accompanied by a piece specially commissioned for the Arboretum by artist Lorna Rees, the sky is the main performer with the weather providing an ever-moving gallery for this thoughtful piece of sound art about our relationship with the sky above.
10am - 5pm Daily
Explore our cloud-themed sensory boxes, each filled with a variety of objects that capture the essence of what you might find when you “LOOK UP” .
Whether you're a child or an adult, our cloud-themed sensory boxes offer a delightful way to stimulate your senses whilst you immerse yourself in the tranquil beauty of the sky at the Arboretum.
10am - 5pm Daily | Children's Outdoor Play Area
Design your own unique skyscape in our Mirrored Tough Tray play. With a variety of items from cotton balls to represent clouds to colourful feathers mimicing birds in flight—you can craft a personalised skyscape that reflects your imagination.
Perfect for sensory play and artistic expression, children can explore the wonders of the sky from a fresh perspective.
10am - 5pm Daily | Children's Outdoor Play Area
Visit us and delve into the captivating study of clouds. With your newfound knowledge, you can create your very own cloud finder and embark on an exciting adventure to spot and identify various clouds on-site at the Arboretum.
Sink into our comfy beanbags and pick a cloud-inspired story from our bookcase. Or, let your imagination soar by writing your own cloud-inspired tale.
10am - 5pm Daily | Gallery Three
Join us every Wednesday for a cloud-inspired Creative Takeover and dive into a world of imagination!
From enchanting musical theatre cloud-based performance “Fluffball” performed by B’ Opera, captivating poetry workshops to interactive storytelling and hands-on arts and crafts, there's something for everyone.
Admission to some events is by free ticket which we recommend booking in advance. On the day tickets are subject to availability.
Join Dan Simpson, the Arboretum's Poet-in-Residence, for cloud-themed poetry workshops.
Wednesday 7 August | 11am, 12pm, 1pm & 2pm
At the Arboretum we love to share stories, and our youngest visitors will love hearing the cloud inspired story shared in our interactive storytelling sessions.
Wednesday 14 August | 11am, 12pm, 1pm & 2pm
Wednesday 21 August | 11am, 12pm, 1pm & 2pm
Let your imagination soar into the sky in drop-in creative arts and crafts sessions.
Wednesday 14 August | 11am - 3pm
Wednesday 21 August | 11am - 3pm
This brand-new cloud-themed piece of children’s first opera-theatre from B’Opera follows the tale of Miss T (Misty) and her flighty flock of fluffballs. Can you help her find them?
This piece celebrates sameness and difference, stealthily teaches the science of weather and explores the importance of play through a funny entertaining piece that will put a smile on adults’ and little ones’ faces alike.
This piece was originally commissioned by Friends of Cotteridge Park with Outdoor Places Unusual Spaces, Funded by Arts Council England.
Wednesday 28 August | 11am & 1pm
