Overstory Workshops

People making at tables under a gazebo on the open field in Springfield Park during the Overstory workshops

Outdoor workshops where Springfield staff and patients made the pieces for a shared creative canopy

Roopa Basu holding an Overstory workshop prompt card, “What I need to tell myself today?”

Overstory is a creative health canopy I designed for Springfield Park, at Springfield University Hospital, as part of Wandsworth’s Culturally Mindful programme. Before the canopy could go up, it needed the colour, pattern and words of the people who use the site every day.

On 13 and 14 August 2026 I led two days of outdoor workshops in Springfield Park for staff and patients, by invitation. Everything they made became part of the canopy.

The Story

Each workshop started with a simple prompt card: What I need to tell myself today? People could write something they want to remember, something they need to hear, something that helps them keep going, or something worth passing on. Or simply one word, or a mark.

Some people wrote a full sentence; others chose a single colour or printed a leaf. Every answer was welcome.

Yellow and green leaf stencils printed onto fabric during an Overstory workshop
Creative Process

Under the gazebo, the tables were laid out with satin squares in bright colours, leaf and pattern stencils, printing blocks, block-printing ink and fabric markers. I showed a few ways to start, then people found their own way in, layering stencils, prints and words.

The finished squares were gathered up and became part of Overstory, which launched on Thursday 20 August 2026 at Springfield Park Amphitheatre.

  • Roopa Basu holding up a stencilled fabric square at the Overstory workshops
  • Roopa Basu with a participant holding up his leaf-stencilled print at the Overstory workshops
  • Hands colouring in a stencilled leaf on a yellow fabric square with markers
  • Hands working with geometric pattern stencils and markers at the Overstory workshops
  • A participant drawing a leaf design with markers at an outdoor table during the Overstory workshops
  • A participant concentrating on her fabric square at an outdoor table at the Overstory workshops
  • A pink fabric square stencilled with green botanical motifs at the Overstory workshops
  • A turquoise fabric square covered in hand-drawn leaf patterns at the Overstory workshops
  • A finished printed square surrounded by fabric markers and printing blocks at the Overstory workshops
  • Roopa Basu with a group of participants and staff on the field at Springfield Park during the Overstory workshops
  • Overstory workshop prompt cards, printing blocks and fabric markers laid out on the table
  • Hands stencilling a fern onto a yellow fabric square at the Overstory workshops
My Role

I designed Overstory and its workshops, including the prompt cards, materials and evaluation, and led both days. My role was to make it easy for anyone to take part, whether they had ten minutes or the whole afternoon, and to make sure every contribution found its place in the canopy.

Community Impact
  • Two days of outdoor workshops in Springfield Park, 13 and 14 August 2026.
  • Staff and patients took part, by invitation.
  • Every contribution became part of a shared canopy for the Springfield community.
  • A London Borough of Culture legacy project, part of Wandsworth’s Culturally Mindful programme.

“I really enjoyed using stencils to create artwork, and really appreciated your help with ideas.”

Workshop participant

Partners & Credits
  • Concept, design and facilitation: Roopa Basu
  • Commissioned by: Springfield University Hospital
  • Funded by: Wandsworth Council, as a London Borough of Culture legacy project
  • Part of: Culturally Mindful, Wandsworth
  • Location: Springfield Park, Springfield University Hospital

All photographs are shared with the express permission of the people pictured.