Be a good ancestor.
Help design and grow the world’s first fungal sculpture trail.
MUSHROOMSCULPT
Durham 6th Form Callout
All students of any subject welcome
You are invited to join the design team which will lead Durham 6th Form College’s Mushroom Sculpt project.
You will help design a new living sculpture trail, grown from fungus, to be hosted at the National Trust’s Crook Hall Gardens.
You will collaborate with leading climate hope organisation, Threads in the Ground, to dive into the art and science of climate hope, to create a beautiful sustainability sculpture trail.
The design team is for any student to join – we do not care whether or not you are a scientist, artist, environmentalist, or any other ist! A diverse team with a real blend of skills will help us create the most innovative and interesting possible work!
What is Mushroom Sculpt?..
Mushroom Sculpt is the world’s first fungal sculpture trail. It is a climate hope project, blending creativity, design, and science to help more people explore the ideas and materials that will shape their climate future.
The main material we use in Mushroom Sculpt is Mycelium Based Materials (MBM), or mushroom plastic—a dense, compostable mycelial block made from fungus. This material is already making waves in fields like packaging and construction, and now we’re putting it in your hands to create with.
A group of Durham 6th Formers will design and grow the next installation of the living Mushroom Sculpt trail, to be exhibited at Crook Hall Gardens.
What does it involve for me?..
First off, you can join a no-commitment taster session, to “meet the mushrooms” – Adam from Threads in the Ground will introduce the project and you get a chance to mess about with the materials.
If you choose to join the design team, you will collaborate with Adam Cooper, Director of Threads in the Ground, to bring the project to life. You will:
Shape and agree a design brief, thinking of the National Trust as your “client”
The brief will be around highlighting the relationship between nature, climate, and creativity
You will get immersed in research and development looking at climate hope ideas and stories inspired by the Crook Hall Gardens site, which is rich in environmental heritage
You will work with professional designers and artists to develop your sculpture concepts
You will work with Adam to nurture your own mycelium cultures collected from the area, growing them into our sculpting “substrate”
You will help curate the final sculpture trail and exhibition hosted by Crook Hall Gardens
Key Learning Experiences
You will engage in a multifaceted experience that goes beyond just creating art:
- Nature-Inspired Design: You will explore mycelial networks—the fungal structures that enable trees to communicate and thrive—gaining insight into nature's sustainable design principles. Understanding the role fungus has played in life on Earth will influence your approach to eco-friendly design.
- Scientific and Creative Exploration: This project encourages you to dive into open-ended questions about the potential of fungus and eco-materials.
- Storytelling and Design: You will have the chance to turn your discoveries into thoughtful designs, learning how to communicate ideas through your creations.
- Leadership: Adam from Threads will be there to support you the whole way through. But Adam’s role will be as facilitator – to help you step into your collective leadership role. The project will be yours. Is yours. To take where it needs to go.
What do you mean, climate hope?
Mushroom Sculpt is rooted in the idea of climate hope—the belief that we are powerful, that we can shape a better future by taking action today. You belong to an incredibly powerful generation, who will live through the beginnings of one of the greatest transition moments in our species’ history. While the challenge is significant, projects like Mushroom Sculpt provide tangible ways for you to explore solutions, engage your community, and inspire climate action.
Why Participate?
Be part of the first ever 6th form team to work on the Mushroom Sculpt project
Make more opportunities for others to engage in climate hope and action
Gain valuable skills in design, creative and scientific exploration
Contribute to a trail of mushroom sculptures that will inspire Crook Hall Gardens’ visitors and the wider community.