Bank Holiday Weekend Workshops | Power Plants
Ulster Transport Museum, Cultra, Co. Down (B Galleries)
Admission: Free
A Weekend of Making & Discovery!
This August, join us at Ulster Transport Museum for a weekend of creative workshops, quiet experiences and a first glimpse of the Power Plants installation prototype — part of a bold new UK-wide project led by Nerve Centre in partnership with artist Oliver Jeffers, Eden Project, National Museums NI and NI Science Festival.
Power Plants is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Explore the themes of power, place and biodiversity through creativity, nature walks, photography, unexpected encounters in the Walled Garden and more.
Come along and reflect, make, wander or watch!
Cordage & Colonialism (23 August)
Join Alison Pascoe of ASTRL Fibres and Craig Sands of Grow NI for a unique workshop exploring the ancient craft of cordage making — the process of twisting or braiding plant fibres into rope. Cordage is a slow and meditative practice that renews our connection with nature and can be made using natural materials gathered from both wild and urban places.
Polaroid Nature Photography (23 August)
Join Polly Garnett for a guided polaroid photography session in the museum’s Walled Garden — a space to pause, observe and reconnect with the natural world. Cameras are provided.
Nature Soundscapes (23 August)
Young explorers will venture outdoors on a guided nature walk, tuning into the world around them transform their own audio and visual recordings into unique soundscapes.
Eco Tote Bag Drop-in Workshop (23 August)
Inspired by nature, you’ll turn a plain tote bag into a colourful canvas of leaves, flowers, and wildlife. A perfect activity for kids and grown-ups to enjoy together!
Cyanotype Printing (23 August)
Led by Polly Garnett, you’ll forage plants from the Walled Garden, then create your own striking blue-toned prints using this historic light-sensitive process.
Nature Baths (23–24 August)
Join ecotherapy practitioner Michaela McDaid for a guided nature bathing walk through the Walled Garden. This gentle, grounding experience is designed to help calm the mind, ease stress and invite a deeper reconnection with nature.
Building with Clay Drop-in Workshop (24 August)
Have a go at building a wattle and daub wall and even some traditional mud brick making!
Make a Flower Drop-in Workshop (24–25 August)
In these drop-in workshops, Ali Fell will guide you in making a flower from recycled, sustainable materials.
Transformative Allyship: How to Love (and Be Loved by) Weeds (25 August)
How can solidarity across species point us towards shared futures of flourishing? This interactive workshop with nature-connection facilitator Aoife de Bhál invites you to handle plants, help process and taste wild teas and share stories.
Thanks to The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Power Plants is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to use creativity to explore the generation and use of power, the depletion of native plant species and biodiversity, and the need to protect and repair our natural heritage.
Project Partners
Funders
