The Space Shed (2017-)

The Space Shed is the Unlimited Space Agency‘s spectacular mobile HQ recently winning ‘Unique’ Shed of the Year! Touring to music, science and arts festivals across the UK, The Space Shed plays host to inspirational storytelling shows, interviews with leading scientists and sets by guest DJs.

In 2010, Unlimited Core Artist Jon Spooner accidentally set up his own space agency. Based out of his garden shed, the Unlimited Space Agency (UNSA) started as a fun way to tell stories about science to children. UNSA’s early projects had award-winning success, people started to take UNSA seriously and in all honesty, he really liked to wear the space suit that came with the job.

Jon telling the story of how he hacked his way into space at Bluedot festival  (photo: Nathan Whittaker)

Jon interviewing astrophysicist and Dark Matter specialist Dr Alex Amon outside the Great North Museum: Hancock for the Great Exhibition of the North

In 2021, Jon (now UNSA’s Director of Human Spaceflight) is working with some of the world’s most prestigious space and science organisations and UNSA’s patron is the British astronaut Tim Peake who took Jon with him to space! (no really he did).

“A brilliantly funny, real life tale of one man’s quest to achieve the seemingly impossibly… captivated both children and adults” review at Just So Festival on childrenstheatrereviews.com

So what better way to take our message out into the world than building a mobile replica of UNSA Headquarters (Jon’s shed)!

The Space Shed is fully mobile, weather resistant and designed to be installed indoors or outdoors. We’ve made it for fields at festivals, public squares in towns or cities, galleries in museums, on stages in theatres or anywhere else you’d like to see it!

The Space Shed

…as Stage
When The Space Shed “powers on” it awakes and comes to gorgeous, ingenious, impressive life: unfolding and opening up to create a self-contained ‘stage’ with fully integrated sound and lighting. This is the playing space that we tell our stories from – using video, sound and light designed in collaboration with our regular team of sector leading artists.

“Brilliant! A hilarious true story… Jon shared his genuine joy of space exploration and told his delightful story to an enthralled audience.” review at Latitude Festival on exciting-stuff.co.uk

….as Sofa
As well as the show, Jon also hosts conversations and interviews with scientists in the Space Shed (think Graham Norton meets the Broom Cupboard. In Space). So far we’ve had chats with a huge range of super cool guests including Beth Healey (space doctor), Andy Newsam (Professor of Astrophysics), Libby Jackson (UK Space Agency Human Spaceflight and Microgravity Programme Manager Agency), Jon Butterworth (Professor of Particle Physics) and Al Worden (Apollo 15 astronaut) among many others. All of which you can listen to for for free at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.Interviewing Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden at New Scientist Live

…where we also had a visit from UNSA’s patron Tim Peake

“It was amazing, brilliantly educational. It brought a tear to my eye.”
Mum with four children at Blue Dot Festival

….as Disco
Once the sun goes down the Space Shed morphs once again into a late-night disco party with special guest DJ’s.

Robin Fallback DJing under the Lovell Telescope at Bluedot Festival

Dr Alice Bell of climate charity Possible DJing at Latitude Festival

Find out about all the Space Shed experiences at our dedicated microsite
thespaceshed.com

…and subscribe for FREE to our new Live from The Space Shed podcast…

The Space Shed is an Unlimited Theatre project originally created with support from Without Walls, Lincoln Performing Arts Centre and The Civic, Barnsley

Conceived by
JON SPOONER
Lead Space Vehicle Designer
RHYS JARMAN
Sound system designed by
ELENA PENA
Video & Lighting system designed by
JOSHUA PHARO
Stage Management
& Flight Dynamics Officer
SIMON PERKINS & STEVE WATKINS
Originally produced by
CHRISTIE HILL
Space Vehicle Realisation
& Assembly by
Q DIVISION