Public get chance to help create living sculpture

Members of the public are to get the chance to help create a living sculpture in Sunderland next month.

Threads in the Ground, a North East charity that aims to get people thinking and talking about climate change, is creating a living artwork grown from bio materials in the shape of railway sleepers.

The sculpture is made from 25 pieces, representing the 25 electoral wards of Sunderland. The artwork was designed by members of the public in a series of workshops. It is inspired by the old railway turntables in Ryhope and the south docks.

The sleepers are made with a wooden shell, filled with a bio material made from fungus mycelium - fed on waste material collected from each of the wards.

Adam Cooper, Director at Threads in the Ground, said: "The sleepers are a tribute to the city's heritage—the railway lines that played a huge role in shipbuilding and mining. But they're not just a thing of the past; they're still in use today.

"The mycelium will actually produce edible mushrooms, which we're planning to use for a feast event later this year. And over time, the sleepers themselves will break down into the soil, becoming part of new life underground.

"It's all about that cycle—history and heritage transforming into something new, which is exactly what this piece represents."

Threads in the Ground is running a free public event on Saturday 5 April at the Expo Sunderland Pavilion in Keel Square where members of the public are invited to help fabricate the sleepers and plant the mycelian material that will grow in them. There will also be family workshops during the Easter holidays on Tuesday 22 April at 11am and 1.30pm.

The artwork will remain on display in the Pavilion until Thursday 24 April before moving to a more permanent home later in the year.

"I hope for the people coming to see and enjoy the sculpture that it'll be a totally novel experience for them," said Adam.

"The aim is to spark a different way of thinking about our connection to nature and how our heritage connects to climate change."

Threads in the Ground has worked with North East-based artist Ross H Frew on the sculpture. The mycelium material has been grown in partnership with By The Bay Mushroom Co.

Cllr Beth Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for local people to get involved in a unique project that is rooted in the city's heritage and also deliver an important message about the future."

This activity is part of Culture House Sunderland's pre-opening programme, working with communities across Sunderland and beyond in the run up to the venue's opening in autumn 2025. The project is funded by the UK Government as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Culture House Sunderland aims to create a living room in the heart of the city where everyone feels welcome and loves to spend time. The venue will be home to the City Library, and will be packed with interactive, digital, educational features, with a year-round programme of things to do and see.

To find more about the Threads in the Ground workshops visit https://sunderland.events.mylibrary.digital/event?id=214019