Partnerships
Oxford Brookes Science Bazaar Partnership
Since 2008, the Oxford Brookes Science Bazaar has become a flagship annual event, welcoming over 7,000 visitors from all ages and backgrounds. With a strong focus on accessibility and inclusion, it explores "science" in its broadest sense—spanning science, technology, engineering, the arts, maths, and social sciences.
This free event is designed to inspire curiosity, showcasing the cutting-edge research of Oxford Brookes staff, students, and partners through interactive exhibits and hands-on activities. At its core, the Bazaar aims to spark imagination and nurture a lifelong love of learning.
Bringing Research to Life - This February 2026
Following the success of Lily’s Special Recipe at the 2025 Science Bazaar, Human Story Theatre returns to Oxford Brookes on 21 February 2026 with more heart, humour and healthy ideas! Inspired by Dr Shelly Coe’s Banking on Health research, this creative collaboration stirs up science with storytelling to explore how what we eat shapes our health, our communities, and our planet. This year, we’re cooking up something slightly different – a new three-performer play, developed from our original storybook and teacher workshop materials. The project will culminate in three staged readings, directed by HST’s Associate Artist Tristan Jackson-Pate, at the Science Bazaar in the John Henry Brookes Auditorium at 10am, 12.30 and 2.30pm.
Looking ahead, we’re planning to take Lily’s Special Recipe on tour to Oxfordshire primary schools (2027–2028)—bringing tasty science and inspiring stories straight to the classroom!
Our first partnership in 2025
As part of the 2025 Science Bazaar, Oxford Brookes partnered with Human Story Theatre to bring research to life through live storytelling—a powerful tool we use to turn complex ideas into relatable, human experiences.
Our storytelling performance, Lily’s Special Recipe, was inspired by the Banking on Health project led by nutritionist Dr. Shelly Coe. This interactive performance explored healthy, sustainable eating, making key messages engaging for children aged 5–12 and their families.
Blending science with creativity, the collaboration turned research into a fun, accessible experience that encouraged young audiences to think differently about food and its place in our communities. By highlighting the human side of the research, we showed how science and storytelling together can spark meaningful conversations.
Lily’s Special Recipe Creative Team:
Writer and researcher Dr Shelly Coe
Dramaturg and director Tristan Jackson-Pate
Creative producer Amy Enticknap
Actor & storyteller Amantha Edmead
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