Silver Hayes brings new artistic Pavilion to Glastonbury 2023

25th May 2023

Silver Hayes introduces a new artistic Pavilion for Glastonbury 2023 with its inaugural project, entitled ‘6°’.

The first ever Hayes Pavilion will harness the interconnected power of mushroom roots – the extraordinary underground network known as mycelium – and investigate the potential adoption of this biomaterial in the creative industries.

Inspired by its potential as a new industrial material, a selection of multi-disciplinary practitioners, from film, TV, set design and educational institutes such as Central St Martins, the Royal College of Art and Bath Spa University, will explore artistic expression, creative possibilities and investigate the potential of mycelium.

The project aims to demonstrate the opportunity to move away from environmentally impacting materials to a more sustainable fungi future. When mycelium is fed with agricultural waste, it forms a construction material, like those you can buy such as polystyrene, foam and plastics, but made entirely organic and compostable. Over a 6 week period in the lead up to the installation at Glastonbury, this creative collective will test, manipulate and challenge what is possible with mycelium as a practical material.

On site at Glastonbury the pavilion will then showcase these findings in an exhibition that journey’s through simple 2-dimensional forms to more innovative 3- dimensional approaches, which will have pushed the creative limits of the mycelium material.

The magical mycelium Pavilion will also play host to specially commissioned immersive sound art compositions by academic and musician Brian d’Souza (Auntie Flo) and rising star Or: la in collaboration with harpist Roísín Berkeley. The music will highlight the ties between people and places that emulate the connectivity of mushrooms.

The creative learnings from the mycelium project, as well as carbon data collection, will be published in a report after Glastonbury, the aim is to give the wider industry the findings and recommendations on best practice for future creatives wanting to interact with the biomaterial.

Alongside the report a short film will be published documenting the journey. This video team will include training placements through Big Team CIC. Big Team is Team Love’s inner city youth outreach and engagement CIC, that creates both opportunity within their business and the festival industry.

The Hayes Pavilion will be a returning platform for artistic research and development at Glastonbury each year, looking at how festivals can be at the forefront of new ideas, materials and products which will potentially help society move towards a more sustainable future.

The project is led by Silver Hayes’ Team Love and designed by Simon Carroll from Temple Design Studio in association with Big Team CIC, Glastonbury Festival and manufacturer, Biohm & Grown Bio. It is also supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Emily Eavis, co-organiser of Glastonbury Festival: “We’re so excited to be bringing this groundbreaking installation to this year’s Festival, and I hope visitors will flock to Silver Hayes to check out the incredible, sustainable potential of mycelium at the Pavilion.”

Simon Carroll, Temple Design Studio: “We are entering a crucial time in how we meet creative design challenges in an informed sustainable approach and to provide the creative industry with an innovative tool kit of materials is such a privilege. I hope the work we have done within the project will go on to inspire others to make positive disruptive choices.”

Ben Price, Arts Producer of Silver Hayes at Glastonbury: “The Silver Hayes field is entering its next decade at Glastonbury. To mark this evolution, we’re pushing the area’s programming beyond its electronic boundaries and into new cutting edge ideas and future technologies. Art, design, debate and the visual culture that surrounds music will now be at core of our offering – exploring what’s next in different dimensions”.

Phil Gibby, Arts Council England, South West Director: “At the Arts Council, we value environmental responsibility as a core investment principle, that’s why we are excited to contribute to the innovative new chapter at Glastonbury’s Silver Hayes area this year. Thanks to the support of the National Lottery, we’re proud to be playing our part in sustainable design in the live events and music industry, while also creating opportunities for artists to showcase their work and enabling young people to learn about potential careers in the industry.”