The Discover Touring Exhibition inspired by children’s author Michael Rosen set to travel to Z-arts, Manchester 24 September – 17 December 2016

Z-arts, 335 Stretford Road, Manchester, M15 5ZA

Z-arts, Manchester’s venue for children and families is set to open an exciting new interactive experience. Step into the world of Michael Rosen’s Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake and Bad Things and explore the fantastic stories and poems of former Children’s Laureate and bestselling writer Michael Rosen. Children and families can discover immersive environments inspired by We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake, The Book of Bad Things and Uncle Gobb and the DreadShed.

Step inside a huge Chocolate Cake, discover a secret larder, swishy swashy through a Bear Hunt and explore Bad Things in the Dread Shed. Younger children will be able to participate in a Bear Hunt trail whilst older children can go on a fun fact finding mission and create poems of their own to take away. Michael has collaborated on the project, and the exhibition will feature hidden rooms where clues can be found that reveal the inspiration behind Michael’s writing, including his Grandparents’ sitting room and his childhood classroom.

Award winning author Michael Rosen says: “This exhibition is one of the most exciting things to have happened in my writing career. I am someone who has found a way of writing that is often about digging up stuff to do with my past and here it is made into a giant exhibition that families and schools will be able to explore. Just as exciting for me, as someone who works with children and students, is the idea that this exhibition will act as a springboard for children, teachers and parents to talk together about things that they remember or think up, and this, I hope, will turn into writing and performing new poems and stories. I am so looking forward to it.”

Michael Rosen’s Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake and Bad Things will reflect Michael’s energy and passion for education, creativity and writing. Michael Rosen’s Bear Hunt, Chocolate Cake and Bad Things will be touring the country from summer 2016, beginning in Cornwall before travelling to Z-arts, 24 September – 17 December 2016. The exhibition is created, produced and designed by DISCOVER.

For further information, images, or for interview / press review ticket requests, please contact Laura Stevens at laura@z-arts.org or 0161 226 1912

NOTES FOR EDITORS

Z-arts – Z-arts is Manchester’s only dedicated venue for children and family theatre and the leading partner in Big Imaginations, a consortium of North West venues and promoters bringing world class family theatre to the region. Z-arts’ mission is to inspire young people through all forms of art and help them begin their creative journey.

Discover Children’s Story Centre is the UK’s first hands-on creative literacy centre for children aged 0-11 years and their families, carers and teachers. Discover’s overarching mission is to spark children and adults’ imagination, curiosity and creativity in a magical and stimulating environment. Offering a variety of programmes including schools workshops, family art activities, a literature programme led by children’s writers and illustrators, community and education projects, artist residencies in schools and training for professionals that work with children and families. Each year over 100,000 people benefit from our programmes.