Being Human 2018 PR

HUMAN A FESTIVAL OF THE HUMANITIES

ORIGINS &

ENDINGS 15–24 NOVEMBER Led by

In partnership with

Contents Director’s welcome

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How to use this guide

About the festival

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Festival map

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Events are listed by region, then alphabetically by town or city, then by date, then by time. Each listing states the event title, the name of the organising institution, the date and time, and the name of the venue. The information in this guide is subject to change; please check our website for the most up-to-date information: beinghumanfestival.org.

Being Human and the New Generation Thinkers 4

Festival broadcasts

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Festival launch

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International events

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Event listings: Scotland

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Event listings: Northern Ireland

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Event listings: Wales

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Event listings: North East

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Event listings: North West

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Event listings: Yorkshire and the Humber

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Event listings: East Midlands

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Event listings: West Midlands

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Event listings: East of England

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Event listings: South West

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Event listings: South East

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Event listings: London

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Follow Being Human twitter.com @BeingHumanFest facebook.com /BeingHumanFest

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instagram @beinghumanfest

Booking The majority of our events are free and open to the public, although a fee may apply in a few cases.

Some events have limited capacity. Each event description in this guide contains a notice about whether advance booking is required. For complete booking information, please visit our website at beinghumanfestival.org.

Accessibility If you have any questions about whether a specific event is accessible, please contact the organiser of that event; details are provided on the individual event pages at beinghumanfestival.org.

Event podcasts Selected events are recorded and available to view, listen to, or download from iTunes and YouTube.

Please check beinghumanfestival.org for details.

#BeingHuman18 Visit beinghumanfestival.org/ e-news-sign-up/ to join our mailing list and receive the latest information on the festival.

Being Human 2017 beinghumanfestival.org

Welcome

Being Human 2018 Director’s welcome

Welcome to the fifth annual Being Human festival of the humanities. Every year we work with researchers around the UK to present the best humanities ideas to local communities in fun and engaging ways through a national programme of creative events and activities. And every year I believe we can truly say that we grow from strength to strength.

This year our theme is Origins and Endings. It’s one that taps into the fundamentals of what it means to be human, from birth and death to the origins and endings of what humans create: societies, empires, languages, stories and cultures. And it applies to the many points of connection between the humanities and the natural sciences as well, of course, extending even to our understanding of the origins and endings of the universe itself.

We are delighted to be presenting a programme that features everything from archaeological digs on housing estates (Lincoln) to multisensory guided tours of regional smells (Wolverhampton). We have Gothic phantasmogorias in Dundee and genderqueer wardrobes in Bristol. We have Russian fairy tales in Swansea and carnivorous carnivals in Exeter. Across the Irish Sea in Belfast we have activities exploring everything from cultural attitudes to breastfeeding to the vocabulary of medieval Irish.

These events draw on an array of innovative and engaged humanities research at universities across the UK, including at our six festival hubs at the universities of Dundee, Exeter, Newcastle, Nottingham, Queen Mary and Swansea.

There are hundreds of activities taking place across the UK, but the festival does not end there.

We are delighted to be working internationally again this year with partners across the globe.

From Paris to Princeton, Melbourne to Rome, the humanities community on three different continents will be joining the Being Human family to explore the big issues that unite us all.

We are particularly thrilled to announce that in 2018 Princeton University in the US and the University of Melbourne in Australia have become our inaugural international hubs, and will be developing their own exciting array of local events celebrating humanities research. This can only ever be a global conversation and we are delighted to be leading it once again this year.

None of this would be possible without the hard work of our organisers across the country, and the continuing support of our partners and funders the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. I would like to thank them, once again, for supporting the programme.

Welcome to the festival!

Professor Sarah Churchwell Director, Being Human festival Chair in Public Understanding of the Humanities, School of Advanced Study, University of London

Being Human 2018

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About the festival

About the festival Being Human is the UK’s only national festival of the humanities. It was established in 2014 to create a platform to share cutting-edge research with non-specialist audiences in ways that are accessible, engaging and fun.

The festival is led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London – the UK’s national centre for the support of researchers and the promotion of research in the humanities.

Being Human runs in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British

Academy, who also fund the festival. This partnership brings together three of the UK’s major coordinating bodies for humanities research.

Every year we allocate small grants to fund festival activities across the UK. We also feature a number within our programme that are not funded directly by grants. From our office at Senate House, University of London, the festival team provides help and support to organisers, drawing together a national programme of events and activities celebrating humanities research and its essential role in our everyday lives.

Partners

fellowship of world-leading scholars and researchers; a funding body for research, nationally and internationally; and a forum for debate and engagement. For more information, please visit thebritishacademy.ac.uk.

The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a nondepartmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. The AHRC funds worldclass, independent researchers in a wide range of subjects: history, archaeology, digital content, philosophy, languages, design, heritage, area studies, the creative and performing arts, and much more.

It invests in research at universities across the UK as well as at leading museums, galleries and libraries. For more information, please visit ahrc.ac.uk.

The School of Advanced Study (SAS), University of London, is the UK’s national centre for the promotion and support of research in the humanities. SAS and its member institutes offer unparalleled academic opportunities, facilities and stimulation across a wide range of subject areas for the benefit of the national and international scholarly community. Last year, SAS: welcomed 786 research fellows and associates; held 2,007 research dissemination events; received 24.4 million visits to its digital research resources and platforms; and received 194,145 visits to its specialist libraries and collections. Find out more at sas.ac.uk.

The British Academy is the voice of humanities and social sciences. The Academy is an independent 2

Being Human 2018

Festival map

Festival map This year, the festival features 250 events organised by 73 universities and research organisations in partnership with cultural and community groups in around 50 cities and towns across the UK. Hubs include Dundee, Exeter, London, Newcastle, Nottingham and Swansea.

Scotland p10 Aberdeen Dumfries Dundee Edinburgh Glasgow Oban

North East p18 Hexham Newcastle North Shields South Shields Sunderland

Northern Ireland p14

Yorkshire and the Humber p27

Belfast

Leeds Sheffield

North West p24

East Midlands p28 Leicester Lincoln Northampton Nottingham

Coniston Liverpool Manchester

East of England p33

Wales p15 Bangor Cardiff Swansea

Royston

London p40

West Midlands p32

Birmingham Dudley and Wolverhampton Shrewsbury Stoke-on-Trent

South East p37 South West p34 Bath Bristol Exeter Plymouth

Being Human 2018

Canterbury Colchester Folkestone Margate Oxford

Portsmouth Reading Rochester Southampton Southend-on-sea

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Being Human and the New Generation Thinkers

Being Human and the New Generation Thinkers Being Human is delighted to be collaborating with the AHRC and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Thinkers scheme in 2018. The pioneering project aims to cultivate talented, articulate academics into exceptional all-round communicators through a variety of public engagement training opportunities, including with Being Human and world-class BBC broadcasters.

New Generation Thinkers will be taking part in events in Glasgow, Stoke-on-Trent and London. They will also be working with The Dorcan Academy in Swindon, home of the AHRC, to deliver interactive sessions based on their research to GCSE students.

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Being Human 2018

Free Thinking and BBC Radio 3 Broadcast dates: Tuesday 13 November, Wednesday 14 November, Thursday15 November In the week of the 2018 Being Human festival, BBC Radio 3’s flagship arts and ideas programme Free Thinking will be broadcasting a series of special programmes exploring this year’s theme, Origins and Endings.

The first programme will look at language, starting with a ‘Wird Hunt’ (p12) to explore Scots dialectic and how words do, and don’t, make it into dictionaries.

The second explores attitudes towards death and dying via a ‘Historical Death Café’ (p20) being staged

by Northumbria University.

On the night of the festival launch, the third programme features reports from a museum late-style event at the Being Human headquarters at Senate House, University of London.

Expect everything from feminism to folk music, classical myths to contemporary craftivism. All programmes will also be available as BBC Arts and Ideas podcasts.

In addition, Radio 3’s Words and Music programme on Sunday 18 November takes the festival theme as its starting point for a selection of readings and music.

And listen out for Being Human popping up on Time Travellers on Essential Classics, too!

BBC Ideas This year we are delighted to be collaborating on the production of two short films with BBC Ideas exploring origins and endings. Producing short films for curious minds, BBC Ideas is a new short-form digital video project centred on exploring ideas that challenge and inform. Two films based on this year’s Being Human programme will be available on bbc.com/ideas.

Being Human 2018

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Festival broadcasts

Festival broadcasts

Being Human festival launch

Being Human festival launch Tuesday 13 November, 18:00–20:30 Senate House, University of London Every year we kick the festival off in style with an event at our spectacular Being Human headquarters at Senate House, University of London. Join us for an evening of performances, workshops and music that will preview some bite-sized snippets from our Origins and Endings-themed programme.

Drawing on activities from across the UK and beyond, expect to explore everything

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from classical myths to contemporary craftivism, feminism to folk music. In recognition of the 100th centenary of the Representation of the People Act, we will also be shining a spotlight on some of Being Human’s ‘leading women’ at this event.

This is an opportunity to meet organisers from across the country before the festival kicks off in earnest nationwide on Thursday 15 November. Come along and raise a glass to the success of Being Human 2018!

Being Human 2018

Being Human 2018

International

International

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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International events

International events Australia: University of Melbourne Being Human in Melbourne Thursday 15 November–Saturday 24 November In 2018, the Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne will be hosting our first festival hub in Australia. Celebrating the University’s proud history of supporting the humanities and commitment to innovative research, activities will delve deep into our festival theme, inspiring debate and discussions of Origins and Endings in Australia and beyond.

Exploring Australia’s status both as a nation of migrants and the longest continuous living culture in the world, activities will bring public audiences into dialogue with research, creativity and critical thinking from across the Faculty of Arts. From culture and identity to governance and sustainability, activities will celebrate and debate what it means to be human in 2018.

USA: Princeton University Being Human Princeton: Origins and Endings November–December This autumn, Princeton University will be hosting the first Being Human festival hub in the USA. Led by the Princeton University Humanities Council, the home of creative, transformative scholarship and teaching for half a century, the programme aims to make humanities research vivid and participatory for school and public audiences. Drawing on expertise in the University’s Pace Center for Civic Engagement, McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning, and Program for Community-Engaged Scholarship, activities will evolve from relationships with Central New Jersey’s diverse communities.

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Being Human 2018

International events

Italy: British School at Rome Journeys Without End Wednesday 10 October, TBC The beginning of a journey is always what captures the imagination of narrators, ancient and modern – the excitement or trauma of leaving, imagining who and what awaits you at the end. These feelings are especially keen for those who have been displaced. By bringing together writers, historians, archaeologists, practitioners, politicians and those working directly on cross-border journeys, this event will explore the conditions that make journeys necessary, and what it means to wander in modern times.

France: University of Kent Americans in Paris Friday 23 November, 18:00–19:30 Being Human is taking to the streets of Paris in November. Led by Kent’s Paris School of Arts and Culture, Sarah Churchwell and Alex Preston will lead an Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgeraldinspired walking tour of Paris, visiting the bars and bistros that the writers frequented; walking the streets they walked and the places they lived – from the Rue Cardinal Lemoine to the Hotel d’Angleterre.

Attendees will learn about the relationship between Hemingway and Fitzgerald, their time in Paris and the literature they produced. The walk will also look at the work of the many writers and artists who were in Paris during this period.

Being Human 2018

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Scotland

Scotland EXHIBITION | DUNDEE

Graphic ‘Frankenstein’: An Exhibition Organised by the University of Dundee Friday 16 November–Saturday 24 November (see online for times) The Crawford Building | No booking required Series: Frankenstein Returns A word-and-image exhibition creatively engaging with Frankenstein and the multimedia adaptations it has inspired. The exhibition will be available to view throughout November and December (during regular opening hours). This will include 3D projection and trick photography.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | A B E R D E E N

WORKSHOP | DUNDEE

Immortal Data: Ancient Egypt to Facebook

We Shall Be Monsters

Organised by the University of Aberdeen Thursday 15 November, 19:00–20:30 Belmont Filmhouse | Booking required An evening exploring how our data is used – with or without our consent. See a hologram of an ancient Egyptian mummy, listen to mini-talks, take part in a quiz and maybe even win an analysis of your DNA ancestry!

EXHIBITION | DUMFRIES

Drawing to a Close Organised by the University of Glasgow Thursday 22 November–Saturday 24 November (see online for times) Yellow Door Gallery | No booking required Come to this debut exhibition of intimate drawings by Glasgow-based artist Norman Gilbert depicting his wife at her life’s end. Norman drew these profoundly sensitive images as he kept vigil at his wife’s hospital bedside in her final week.

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Organised by the University of Dundee Friday 16 November, 17:30–19:00 Central Library | No booking required Series: Frankenstein Returns Question the boundaries of human communities through this creative writing workshop exploring the outsider in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, led by award-winning writer Anna Stewart. Bring your brain (in your head or a jar) and something to write with.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | D U N D E E

Frankenstein’s Medical Marvels Organised by the University of Dundee Saturday 17 November, 10:00–16:00 Dundee Science Centre | Booking required Series: Frankenstein Returns Join us for a takeover of the Dundee Science Centre in this day of Frankenstein-themed pop-up activities, including monstrous crafts, ‘Frankenstein-me’ drawing, performances and face-painting. Suitable for all ages.

Being Human 2018

Scotland

Scotland PERFORMANCE | DUNDEE

SCREENING | DUNDEE

Frankenstein Returns!

‘The Bride of Frankenstein’ (1935)

Organised by the University of Dundee Saturday 17 November, 14:00–15:30 The Chaplaincy | Booking required Series: Frankenstein Returns With hideous songs, outrageous costumes and audience participation, catch this unique pantomime starring Frankenstein’s Monster on his 200th birthday. Is he ready for modern Dundee, and is Dundee ready for him? And what local legends will he encounter?

Organised by the University of Dundee Sunday 18 November, 13:00–14:30 Dundee Contemporary Arts | Booking required Series: Frankenstein Returns Don’t miss a chance to see the second in Universal’s legendary Frankenstein series. The Bride replaces the terror of its predecessor with delicious black comedy, and features Elsa Lanchester doubling as the Monster’s bride and Mary Shelley herself.

SCREENING | DUNDEE

Frankenstein Re-membered (2018) Organised by the University of Dundee Sunday 18 November, 11:00–12:00 Dundee Contemporary Arts | Booking required Series: Frankenstein Returns Re-stitching 200 works into one continuous narrative brought alive by the power of cinema, this film will cut, splice, split-screen and multiple-expose the history of Frankenstein on screen, with an introductory talk on the cinematic Frankenstein.

HUB

Frankenstein Returns

Organised by the University of Dundee This year the world has been celebrating the 200th anniversary of the first publication of Frankenstein. In Dundee, Mary Shelley’s home during her teenage years, the Being Human festival is exploring the legacy of Shelley’s most famous work where it all began – by the banks of the river Tay. This series of creative events will offer everything from Gothic phantasmagorias and comic book workshops, to Frankenstein pantomimes and monster making. Come and explore the role literature and the scientific imagination have played in popular culture, academia, and everyday life since the 19th century.

Being Human 2018

EXHIBITION | DUNDEE

Body Parts in the Archives Organised by the University of Dundee Thursday 22 November, 15:00–16:00, 16:00–17:00 Tower Building | No booking required Series: Frankenstein Returns During this Frankenstein-inspired event, you will handle images, documents and drawings relating to anatomy and pathology, some of which are hundreds of years old. There will also be a special tour of the stores and a chance to find out how archives are preserved.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | D U N D E E

Frankenstein’s Poetic Progeny Organised by the University of Dundee Wednesday 21 November, 17:30–19:00 The Global Room, College Hall | No booking required Series: Frankenstein Returns Join the Wyvern Poets for a literary monster-fest! Come and hear special readings of their new work and write your own monster masterpiece. For those who don’t find it too terrifying, you can even perform your own petrifying poetry.

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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Scotland

Scotland LAU NCH | DU N DEE

SCREENING | EDINBURGH

‘Frankenstein Returns’: The Comic

Theatre and Surveillance in East Germany

Organised by the University of Dundee Thursday 22 November, 18:00–20:00 Dundee Comics Creative Space | No booking required Series: Frankenstein Returns Come to the launch of the Frankenstein Returns comic which is full of fantastic artworks by local artists and competition winners. With a drink and nibbles in hand, enjoy the work and listen to an illustrated talk on the history of Frankenstein comics.

PERFORMANCE | DUNDEE

The Frankenstein Phantasmagoria Organised by the University of Dundee Friday 23 November, Saturday 24 November, TBC Dundee Congregational Church | Booking required Series: Frankenstein Returns Designed and hosted by the chairman of The Magic Lantern Society, this event comprises a hair-raising, eyepopping visual performance using Victorian projection.

Immerse yourself in a ‘gathering of ghosts’, based on the wildly popular Gothic shows which might have influenced Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.

Organised by the University of Edinburgh Sunday 18 November, 14:00–16:30 Scottish Storytelling Centre | Booking required A screening and discussion of the documentary Writing Ensemble, which follows dramatist Peter Arnott as he explores East German theatre censorship and surveillance.

Accompanied by film shorts offering rare insights into life in the East German state.

PA N E L | EDINBURGH

Data, Democracy and the Digital

S C AV E N G E R H U N T | E D I N B U R G H

Organised by the University of Edinburgh Monday 19 November, 19:00–20:30 National Museum of Scotland | Booking required Digital devices and big data help citizens inform themselves and engage with the democratic process.

Simultaneously, ‘fake news’, data-gathering techniques and filter bubbles seem to contribute to social polarisation. Is this the end of politics as we know it?

Bloodscape

WORKSHOP | EDINBURGH

Organised by the University of Edinburgh Saturday 17 November, 13:00–15:00 50 George Square | No booking required Explore the changing landscape of blood – bloodscape! – in and beyond Edinburgh. Pick up the scavenger hunt clues and begin a self-guided adventure that will reveal Edinburgh through the lens of blood, from local donation facilities to Harry Potter.

Wird Hunt!

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Organised by the University of Edinburgh Tuesday 20 November, Wednesday 21 November, 13:00–19:00 and Saturday 24 November, 11:00–16:00 Various venues | No booking required The Dictionar o the Scots Leid is the definitive dictionary of Scots. Join these workshops for an exciting opportunity to contribute to it and discover how dictionary makers decide what to record. Help us find new evidence of Scots vocabulary!

Being Human 2018

Scotland

Scotland FOOD AND DRINK | GLASGOW

Feminists Eat Your Greens!

Organised by the University of Strathclyde Thursday 15 November, 17:30–19:30 Glasgow Women’s Library | Booking required Why do so many feminists identify as vegetarians?

What do lentils have to do with the vote? Come to the Glasgow Women’s Library, which will be turned into an Edwardian vegetarian restaurant, for feasting and feminist conversation about the untold history of vegetarian suffragettes.

SERIES | OBAN

Finding Language

Organised by Cultural Documents Explore how languages begin and end through film screenings, artworks and stories at this minilanguage-fest held at the The Rockfield Centre.

Question the role languages play in forming our identities, everyday lives and culture. Events will include exhibitions, film screenings and discussions on a diverse range of topics including the heritage languages your grandparents spoke, the new languages your children use, and the languages you use to collaborate with your work colleagues.

Being Human 2018

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland

DISCUSSION | BELFAST

Atlantic Philanthropies Stories Organised by Queen’s University Belfast Wednesday 21 November–Thursday 22 November, 09:00–17:00 Crescent Arts Centre | Booking required Have a chance to share your own inspiring stories with the Digital Repository of Ireland in this unique oral history event about social change initiatives in Northern Ireland. Supported by the Atlantic Philanthropies (1991–2016).

PERFORMANCE | BELFAST PERFORMANCE | BELFAST

Words You Didn’t Know You Needed Organised by Queen’s University Belfast Monday 19 November, 18:00–19:00 Peter Froggatt Centre, Queen’s University Belfast | No booking required In this interactive quiz-based performance, discover quirky and arcane words from medieval Ireland. Vote in an ‘ask the audience’ poll to find out where these words came from, how they were used, and how they could still be useful today.

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Let Down Organised by Queen’s University Belfast Saturday 24 November, 14:00–15:00 Brian Friel Theatre | Booking required Building on interviews with breastfeeding women, this performance explores the world of infant feeding and its impact on women by interweaving dance, text, and an original soundscape to give voice to women’s experiences.

Being Human 2018

Wales

Wales DISCUSSION | BANGOR

TA L K | SWA N S E A

Miliwn o siaradwyr Cymraeg erbyn 2050?

My Family in the Great War

Organised by the British Academy, the Learned Society of Wales and Bangor University Wednesday 21 November, 18:00–19:30 Bangor University | Booking required The Welsh language is part of what defines Welsh identity.

This discussion considers how the whole nation has a role in fulfilling the ambition of reaching a million people using Welsh by 2050. A Welsh language event with simultaneous translation.

PERFORMANCE | CARDIFF

‘A New Mecca’ Organised by the University of Birmingham Friday 23 November, 18:00–20:30 The Welsh National Temple of Peace and Health | Booking required On the Temple of Peace’s 80th anniversary, this performance will celebrate the building’s founding principles of peace, justice and health. Through readings, film and song, you will discover the Temple’s history, while helping to shape its future.

Organised by Swansea University Thursday 15 November, 18:00–19:30 Volcano Theatre | Booking required Series: Once Upon a Time, the End Come along to this illustrated talk weaving together untold, remarkable stories of those who fought in the war alongside those of famous writers, poets and painters. There will also be an exhibition of notable Welsh figures from the conflict.

SCREEN I NG AN D LAU NCH | SWA N S E A

‘To Provide All People’ Organised by Swansea University Friday 16 November, 18:00–19:45 Cinema & Co | Booking required Series: Once Upon a Time, the End Book launch, screening and Q&A with Owen Sheers on his recent film-poem To Provide All People. This emotional film intermingles the story of how Aneurin Bevan founded the NHS with the experiences of NHS staff and patients today.

E X H I B I T I O N | SWA N S E A

The NHS is Born!

Organised by Swansea University Thursday 15 November– Saturday 24 November (see online for times) South Wales Miners’ Library | No booking required Series: Once Upon a Time, the End Marking 70 years of the NHS, this insightful exhibition features items from the South Wales Coalfield Collection. Take a glimpse into life in coalfield society before and after the NHS was founded and find out how the local area influenced the health service.

Being Human 2018

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Wales

Wales M U LT I - F O R M AT | S WA N S E A

TA L K | SWA N S E A

The End Crowns All

Kamila Shamsie – ‘Home Fire’

Organised by Swansea University Saturday 17 November, 12:00–16:00 National Waterfront Museum | No booking required Series: Once Upon a Time, the End Discover how Shakespeare’s endings can be performed in a range of fun and different ways. Create your own bookmarks, design ‘Shakespeare Windows’ with your favourite quotes, watch Horrible Histories’ Bill and embark on a word finding trail around the gallery.

Organised by Swansea University Thursday 22 November, 19:30–21:30 Great Hall | Booking required Series: Once Upon a Time, the End Join Kamila Shamsie, the winner of this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction, in conversation about her latest powerful novel Home Fire. Come ready with your questions for one of the most vital and interesting novelists at work today.

TA L K | SWA N S E A

The Kings and Civil Rights Organised by Swansea University Tuesday 20 November, 19:00–20:00 Swansea Museum | Booking required Series: Once Upon a Time, the End 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. This talk explores the role played by both King and his wife, Corretta Scott King, in the Civil Rights Movement, illuminating the lives of this complex couple.

TA L K | SWA N S E A

Evolution of a Theory: Alfred Russel Wallace Organised by Swansea University Friday 23 November, 10:00–14:00 Glynn Vivian Art Gallery | Booking required Series: Once Upon a Time, the End Come along to this talk about one of Wales’ foremost scientists, the pioneering naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913). Hear about the life and work of the man whose studies led to a revolutionary theory of evolution. A Welsh language event.

TA L K | SWA N S E A

Edward Thomas and Wales Organised by Swansea University Wednesday 21 November, 19:00–20:30 Cinema & Co | Booking required Series: Once Upon a Time, the End As we commemorate the centenary of the Armistice, this talk explores the influences of Welsh culture in the poetry of Edward Thomas. Including readings from Thomas’s poetry and prose, the event will present a new and detailed chronology of his interactions with Wales.

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Being Human 2018

Wales

Wales WORKSHOP | SWA N S E A

H U B | SWA N S E A

Once Upon a Time, the End

Once Upon a Time, the End

Organised by Swansea University Saturday 24 November, 13:30–14:30, 16:30–17:30 Taliesin Create | Booking required Series: Once Upon a Time, the End In this creative writing workshop for children aged 8–12 (and parents) look at the shape of stories, how to open a door onto a new world, and how to dramatically draw the curtain.

PERFORMANCE | SWA N S E A

Once Upon a Time, Deep in the Forest

Organised by Swansea University

All stories have a start and an end. This year, Swansea University has produced a series of creative activities, performances, discussions and exhibitions that explore the stories that we tell, looking at everything from the NHS to the American Civil Rights Movement. Hear new tales; explore how to open doors onto a new world and dramatically draw the curtain on your own; see the endings to Shakespeare’s plays in a whole new light, and help to build a Shakespeare wall.

You will also get a chance to explore some of the greatest writers, past and present, as well as discover the personal experiences at the heart of the NHS through a special screening of To Provide All People, a BBC Wales production.

Organised by Swansea University Saturday 24 November, 15:00–16:00, 18:00–19:00 Taliesin Arts Centre | Booking required Series: Once Upon a Time, the End Meet Old Peter and listen to stories about Baba Yaga in this performance full of folktales and magic as Arthur Ransome’s Old Peter’s Russian Tales are brought to life on stage.

Being Human 2018

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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North East

North East WORKSHOP | NEWCASTLE

Undiscovered Land: Write Like David Almond Organised by Newcastle University Saturday 17 November, 14:30–16:30 Seven Stories: The National Centre for Children’s Books | Booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea Write your own story, inspired by the work of children’s author David Almond. Learn how to convey a sense of place and incorporate elements of memory, history, magic and transformation.

WA L K | N E WC A ST L E M U LT I - F O R M AT | H E X H A M

Rivers of Life Organised by Newcastle University Thursday 15 November, 18:00–20:00 The Sill: National Landscape Discovery Centre | No booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea Can you imagine a land without rivers? Have you ever wondered what secrets the water carries? Come to this jam-packed evening of photography, films, short talks and more to explore the past, present and future of our rivers.

WA L K | NEWCASTLE

From Victoria Tunnel to Quantum Tunnelling Organised by Newcastle University Saturday 17 November, 10:00–11:00 Victoria Tunnel | Booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea Through encounters with the smallest and largest aspects of reality, investigate how the spaces we inhabit inform new ways of living in a journey along the Victoria Tunnel beneath the city of Newcastle.

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Wavering Boundaries Organised by Newcastle University Sunday 18 November, 11:00–12:00, 13:00–14:00 Seven Stories: The National Centre for Children’s Books | Booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea Magical realism, augmented reality and literary archives come together in this hour-long guided walking tour along the Ouseburn Valley into the creative world of David Almond, to explore the ‘wavering boundary’ between rationalism and superstition within his work.

HUB

From the Source to the Sea

Organised by Newcastle University Join Newcastle University for this poetic series of events exploring the flow of the Tyne and the rich histories written on the riverbed. Focusing on the past, present and future life of the river, events include a rare opportunity to explore the historic Guildhall Courtroom and its connections with the River Tyne, as well as a number of walks and tours, one of which will take you along the Victoria Tunnel beneath the city of Newcastle. You will also get a chance to enjoy stories, tunes and folk songs in a special evening celebrating the strange beauty of the North East, and enjoy captivating performances from writer David Almond, artist Kathryn Tickell, and accordionist and clog dancer Amy Thatcher.

Being Human 2018

North East

North East TA L K | N E WCA ST L E

TA L KS | N E WCA ST L E

Tales of the Tyne

Origins and Endings: Research at the Cutting Edge

Organised by Newcastle University Sunday 18 November, 14:30–15:30 Seven Stories: The National Centre for Children’s Books | Booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea Explore the end of the old industrial North East and the possibilities for new beginnings through David Almond’s stories and a tour of Seven Stories Collection exhibition, Where Your Wings Were.

TA L K | N E WCA ST L E

The Cock-Pit of England Organised by Newcastle University Tuesday 20 November, 17:30–19:15 Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building | No booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea The Northumbrian border was for centuries the site of conflict: ‘the cock-pit of England’. This talk explores how the violent borderland was crucial to ideas of nationhood, and how the division of past Northumberland conflicts were reimagined as romantic heritage.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | N E W C A S T L E

Bodies In, Bodies Out Organised by Newcastle University Wednesday 21 November, 11:00–13:00 Guildhall Courtroom | Booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea A rare chance to explore the historic Guildhall Courtroom and its connections with the River Tyne. Two short talks and a screening will focus on its acoustics and power, and the movement of bodies in and out of the court.

Being Human 2018

Organised by Newcastle University and Explore Thursday 15 November and Thursday 22 November, 10:30–12:00 Joseph Cowen Lifelong Learning Centre, Commercial Union House | No booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea Come along to talks that will explore the newest research in history and culture on the theme of Origins and Endings. Join in conversations that will cover everything from the Tyne Valley to the North East’s Blitz experience.

WORKSHOP | NEWCASTLE

How to End a Life Organised by Northumbria University Friday 16 November, 18:30–20:00 Northumbria University Law Court | Booking required Series: Life Stages Along with a crime fiction author, criminologist and other experts, you will create an ‘ending’ to a piece of crime fiction. While in a courtroom, explore how the genre can promote public understanding of law, order and justice.

WORKSHOP | NEWCASTLE

Once Upon a Tyne Organised by Newcastle University Saturday 17 November, 11:00–12:00, 13:30–14:30 Seven Stories: The National Centre for Children’s Books | Booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea Explore the process of creating children’s books with manuscripts, artwork, scribbles and doodles from the Seven Stories Collection, featuring works inspired by the seas, oceans and the River Tyne.

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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North East

North East DISCUSSION | NEWCASTLE

The Historical Death Café Organised by Northumbria University Saturday 17 November, 14:00–17:00 Star and Shadow Cinema | Booking required Series: Life Stages How is family history remembered or forgotten? Who is remembered, and who is forgotten? Come to the Historical Death Café and discuss the ways in which we preserve family memories through stories and objects.

EXHIBITION | NEWCASTLE

Constructing Remembrance Organised by Northumbria University Tuesday 20 November, 19:30–21:00 (launch), Tuesday 20 November–Saturday 24 November, 09:30–17:00 (exhibition) Literary and Philosophical Society | Booking required (launch), no booking required (exhibition) Series: Life Stages Come along and view designs for 21st-century war memorials, produced by the Longbenton RAF Cadets.

Reflect on how we commemorate conflict a century on from the end of the First World War. TA L KS | N E WCA ST L E

New Voices in Humanities Research Organised by Newcastle University and Explore Thursday 22 November, 14:00–16:30 Joseph Cowen Lifelong Learning Centre, Commercial Union House | No booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea After searching high and low and holding fierce competitions, this series of eight short talks brings you the best cutting-edge doctoral research in the North East. Become part of the judging panel and decide who should be awarded the best talk in town.

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M U LT I - F O R M AT | N E W C A S T L E

Dead Famous Organised by Northumbria University Friday 23 November, 19:00–21:00 Tyneside Irish Centre | Booking required Series: Life Stages Do celebrities ever really die? Join an evening of talks, screenings and music about the famous ‘undead’, from post-mortem sightings to resurrections in reenactment. Discover the myths around Napoleon, Elvis and many other cultural icons who appear to live forever.

Being Human 2018

M U S E U M / G A L L E RY L AT E | NEWCASTLE

The End of Nature? A Night at the Great North Museum Organised by Northumbria University Saturday 24 November, 18:00–20:00 Great North Museum | Booking required Series: Life Stages At this museum late, explore the impact of humans on environmental change through interactive activities. Discover the relationship between human history and the causes of climate change, encompassing everything from the River Tyne to alligators in Florida.

PERFORMANCE | NEWCASTLE

Songs from the Dam Organised by Newcastle University Saturday 24 November, 19:30–21:00 Boiler House | Booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea Enjoy stories, tunes and folk songs in this special evening celebrating the strange beauty of the North East. Captivating performances will be given by author David Almond, artist Kathryn Tickell and accordionist and clog dancer Amy Thatcher.

Being Human 2018

North East

North East WA L K | N O R T H S H I E L D S

‘Highway to Nowhere’? A History of the Tyne Piers Organised by Newcastle University Saturday 24 November, 10:00–12:00 Old Low Light (meet outside) | Booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea Starting at Old Low Lights in North Shields, enjoy this guided walk along the River Tyne to the North Tyne Pier. Discover how the Tyne Piers were constructed and what the river would be like without them.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | S O U T H SHIELDS

Tyne to Tees, Our Shores and Seas Organised by Newcastle University Thursday 22 November, 17:30–19:00 South Shields Sailing Club | No booking required Series: From the Source to the Sea Explore the hidden world lying offshore at the mouth of the Tyne. Through an exhibition and an evening of talks, discover the rich industrial past written on the seabed and how the shores are recovering from long neglect.

WA L K | S U N D E R L A N D

The North East Coast, the Sea and its Dangers Organised by University of Sunderland Saturday 17 November, 12:00–13:00 Sunderland Lifeboat Station | No booking required Series: The People, the River and the Sea From Viking invasions to naval mines, discover the dangers of the sea past and present in this walking tour along the Sunderland coast. What might lurk beneath the water, or even be found lying on the sand?

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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North East

North East TA L K | S U N D E R L A N D

The Wooden Walls Organised by University of Sunderland Tuesday 20 November, 18:00–19:30 TBC | No booking required Series: The People, the River and the Sea This talk will explore shipbuilding in Sunderland in the 18th century.

Rather than a city of heavy mechanical industry, discover a pre-industrial world of handcrafted ships and sail, of a river that thronged with wooden ships large and small.

TA L K | S U N D E R L A N D

The Lilburne Family Organised by University of Sunderland Thursday 22 November, 12:00–13:30 TBC | No booking required Series: The People, the River and the Sea Come to this talk exploring a local family at the heart of the British Civil War. Discover the Lilburne family from Sunderland, including ‘Freeborn John’ who led a political movement and his brother Robert, who signed the death warrant of Charles I. TA L K | S U N D E R L A N D

Suffrage in Sunderland Organised by University of Sunderland Friday 23 November, 18:00–20:00 Hope Street Xchange | No booking required Series: The People, the River and the Sea This talk will explore the often overlooked story of suffrage in Sunderland, from local women activists to Sunderland’s first female MP. Discover the challenges they faced and hear from current MP Julie Elliot on life as a female MP. 22

SERIES | SUNDERLAND

The People, the River and the Sea Organised by the University of Sunderland

Change has been a constant feature of Sunderland, from glassmaking in the 7th century to the modern-day car industry. This series of talks and workshops from the University of Sunderland charts Wearside’s history, from industry and political activism, to dialects and literature.

Explore the often overlooked story of suffrage in Sunderland, and learn about the Lilburne brothers, one of whom led a political movement and the other signed the King’s death warrant.

Discover the dangers of the sea, from Viking invasions to naval mines, in a walking tour along the Sunderland coast. What might lurk beneath the water, or even be found lying on the sand?

Being Human 2018

© Lucinda Grange

North West

North West

PERFORMANCE | LIVERPOOL

A Bloody Good Show! Adventures in Menstruating

WORKSHOP | CONISTON

Life Lines Organised by Lancaster University Saturday 17 November and Sunday 18 November, 11:00–15:30 Brantwood | No booking required What stories do clothes tell?

This workshop shows how art critic John Ruskin’s clothing is being studied through drawing, and invites families to draw Ruskin’s garments and tell the story of their own textile treasures.

EXHIBITION | LIVERPOOL

The Periodical Exhibition Organised by Liverpool John Moores University Thursday 15 November–Saturday 24 November, 09:00–17:00 John Lennon Art and Design Building | No booking required Come along to this #periodpositive and taboo-busting exhibition that features an exciting array of artworks, photographs and archival displays on menstruation.

There will also be some pop-up hands-on activities for people of all ages to take part in.

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Organised by Liverpool John Moores University Friday 16 November, 19:00–22:00 The Casa | Booking required Join Chella Quint for this #periodpositive comedy show combining humour, science and craftivism to celebrate menstruation.

This fantastic performance will be followed by a discussion with menstrual activists and experts.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | L I V E R P O O L

Origin Stories: Migration Organised by Liverpool Hope University Saturday 17 November, 10:00–17:00 Museum of Liverpool | No booking required This day-long series of hands-on activities will explore how migration has been represented in art and culture.

Come and bind your own book, create a piece of sound art, make a collage and discover the stories of the city’s communities.

Being Human 2018

North West

North West

WORKSHOP | LIVERPOOL

PERFORMANCE | MANCHESTER

How Do You Want to Be Remembered?

Apocalyptic Ashton

Organised by the University of Warwick Saturday 24 November, 10:30–12:00 Liverpool Central Library | Booking required Redesign your family tree and write a poem in this interactive workshop exploring your identity, family heritage, and how you would like to be remembered. Suitable for ages 14 and over.

WORKSHOP | MANCHESTER

What Makes Us Human?

Organised by the University of Manchester Saturday 17 November, 10:00–11:00, 12:00–13:00 Longsight Library | Booking required Series: Double Helix History Bring your children along to this workshop and art session exploring what DNA can tell us about the history of humans. Learn to tell your homo sapiens from your homo neanderthalensis or homo denisovan for that matter!

Being Human 2018

Organised by Manchester Metropolitan University Saturday 17 November, 10:30–14:00 Tameside Central Library, Ashton-under-Lyne | Booking required Discover the colourful life of John Wroe, the 19thcentury prophet who tried to transform Ashton into the New Jerusalem. Actors will bring his story to life, followed by the chance to examine original material from the archives.

I N S TA L L AT I O N | MANCHESTER

My Double-Helix History Organised by the University of Manchester Saturday 17 November, 16:00–17:00 Archives+, Manchester Central Library | Booking required Series: Double Helix History Come and explore this showcase on how DNA can be visualised through art, poetry, music and more.

Experience DNA narratives and family stories that can lie at the heart of DNA results.

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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North West

North West SERIES | MANCHESTER

Double Helix History

Organised by the University of Manchester

TA L K | M A N CH E ST E R

Just the Beginning... (School Session) Organised by Manchester Museum Monday 19 November–Friday 23 November, 10:00– 12:00, 13:00–15:00 Manchester Museum | Booking required Series: Just the Beginning...

Join experts from the University of Manchester and examine genuine artefacts in this series of talks and discussions aimed at KS4/5 pupils. Learn why research matters, gain insight into the museum collections and get a sneak peek behind the scenes.

TA L K | M A N CH E ST E R

Christian Bök in Conversation

What makes us human? What defines homo sapiens as a species? Exercise your philosophical, metaphysical and literary muscles in this series of events from the University of Manchester exploring DNA and human genome. Learn to tell your homo sapiens from your homo neanderthalensis, join a conversation about the ethics of DNA testing, and work with graphic designers, artists, storytellers and poets to tell your own DNA story. You’ll also get a rare opportunity to see the experimental poet Christian Bök who has written poetry with DNA, and workshop your own writing on some of the most profound questions facing us as human beings.

M U S E U M / G A L L E RY L AT E | MANCHESTER

Just the Beginning... (Museum Late) Organised by Manchester Museum Thursday 22 November, 18:00–21:00 Manchester Museum | Booking required Series: Just the Beginning...

Manchester Museum is full of artefacts, each with a story. Explore what these collections tell us about the human world and see what goes on behind the glass cases in this evening event exploring the museum collections.

Organised by the University of Manchester Monday 19 November, 18:00–19:00 University of Manchester | Booking required Series: Double Helix History A rare opportunity to see the experimental poet Christian Bök – who has written poetry with DNA – in conversation about life, his writing, and the human genome.

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Being Human 2018

Yorkshire and the Humber

Yorkshire and the Humber WORKSHOP | LEEDS

Women Writing Dystopia and Apocalypse Organised by Leeds Beckett University Tuesday 20 November, 10:00–14:30 The Leeds Library | Booking required Explore the long tradition of women’s dystopian and apocalyptic writing and take part in a writing workshop where you can create your own dystopian or apocalyptic story. For pupils of Feversham Academy Only.

I N S TA L L AT I O N | L E E D S

Sonic Bodies: A Multisensory Exploration Organised by the University of Leeds Tuesday 20 November– Saturday 24 November, 13:00–16:00 Leeds Art Gallery | No booking required Sonic Bodies is an immersive and interactive exploration of sculpture through movement and listening. You will be invited to follow the lines, shapes and themes of selected sculptures, and generate a realtime soundscape through movement.

WORKSHOP | SHEFFIELD

The Origins of the Artificial Ape Organised by the University of Sheffield Saturday 17 November, 11:00–14:00 Weston Park Museum | Booking required This day of hands-on activities for families will explore the origins of our species, looking at current research that reveals how and when our ancestors started to behave and think in ways that make us human.

Being Human 2018

EXHIBITION | SHEFFIELD

Yours, Hopefully Organised by the University of Sheffield Monday 19 November–Saturday 24 November, 08:00–20:00 Winter Garden | No booking required Come along to the Winter Gardens to see an exhibition of letters sent between local children and older adults on the subject of hope. Look out for some augmented reality magic as the letters come to life!

PERFORMANCE | SHEFFIELD

The Sisterhood of the Ring Organised by the University of Sheffield Wednesday 21 November, 19:30– 21:00 Greentop Community Circus Centre | Booking required This spectacular event will look at the role of race and gender in the circus and the rise of contemporary circus art. Discussions will be interspersed with performances from contemporary female performers.

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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East Midlands

East Midlands M U LT I - F O R M AT | L E I C E S T E R

WORKSHOP | LEICESTER

From House of Care to Seat of Learning

Art with Upcycling

Organised by the University of Leicester Thursday 15 November–Friday 16 November, 13:00–14:30 Fielding Johnson Building, University of Leicester | Booking required Explore the Fielding Johnson Building (usually closed to the public). From its former life as a lunatic asylum, a First World War hospital and a University College, the building’s history will be brought to life through illustrated walking tours.

PERFORMANCE | LEICESTER

The Fabric of Memory Organised by the University of Leicester Thursday 22 November, 15:00–20:00 Attenborough Arts Centre | No booking required Join in a participatory performance looking at the memories sparked by our clothes.

Drop in at any time and bring a piece of fabric with you to talk through with a performer – they may even iron and fold it for you!

Organised by De Montfort University Saturday 17 November, 10:00–16:00 New Walk Museum and Art Gallery | No booking required Be part of this co-creation workshop where you can make remarkable art pieces from used or waste materials. Fun for all the family, get creative and find out how one person’s trash is another’s treasure.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | L I N C O L N

Winning the Vote: Equal Rights Past and Future Organised by Bishop Grosseteste University Friday 16 November (see online for times) Constance Stewart Hall, Bishop Grosseteste University | Booking required Is the vote a right or a duty, and who should vote? Through an array of workshops, talks and discussions, secondary school students will hone their debating skills and explore the history of suffrage and the ideals of democracy, equality and citizenship.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | L I N C O L N

Really? A Dig on a Council Estate Organised by the University of Lincoln Saturday 17 November, 10:00–17:00 Waterside Shopping Centre | No booking required Explore the surprising results of an excavation on a council estate with archaelogists and the local people who took part. Learn the dig story through artefacts and a game of ‘dig bingo’, share childhood memories and contribute ideas about social housing.

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Being Human 2018

East Midlands

East Midlands PERFORMANCE | NOTTINGHAM HUB

Our Many Points of Connection Organised by the University of Nottingham

In partnership with the Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature, the University of Nottingham’s hub programme explores cultural diversity, creativity and innovation through a series of events exploring topics such as extinction, the First World War, the Suffrage movement, and women in literature. From old and new cultural exchanges to personal stories of losing your voice and finding your identity, this collection of events uses music, literature and the power of words to explore origins and endings, renewal and rejuvenation.

WORKSHOP | NORTHAMPTON

The Origins of Leather Organised by the University of Northampton Tuesday 20 November–Thursday 22 November, 12:00–14:00 National Leather Collection | No booking required Come and discover the origins of leather at the National Leather Collection. These free lunchtime workshops feature interactive displays, opportunities to make leather crafts and introductory talks about the fascinating history and science behind this everyday material.

TA L K | N OT T I N G H A M

Words and Music: University Chamber Choir Organised by the University of Nottingham Friday 16 November, 17:30–18:30 Djanogly Recital Hall | Booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection For this special evening of music and commemoration, the choir will perform songs and poetry that mark the anniversaries of Queen Victoria’s and President Kennedy’s death, as well as elegies for those who fell during the First World War. TOUR | NOTTINGHAM

Where Did D.H. Lawrence Come From?

Organised by the University of Nottingham Saturday 17 November, 10:00–14:30 D. H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum | Booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection These guided tours of the D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum will focus on Lawrence’s origins and how his early experiences found their way into his writing.

PERFORMANCE | NOTTINGHAM

To Walt with Love Organised by the University of Nottingham Saturday 17 November, 19:00–20:30 Nottingham Contemporary | Booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection In anticipation of his bicentenary, join The Sunday Boys for a musical exploration of Walt Whitman’s legacy as a role model and muse to LGBTQ+ writers, artists and musicians, from his own lifetime to the present day.

Championing Women’s Voices Organised by the University of Nottingham Thursday 15 November, 18:30–20:30 Nottingham Contemporary | Booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection Join Kate Mosse, bestselling novelist and co-founder of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, and Sandeep Mahal, Director of Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature, in conversation about Kate’s new novel and the origins and future of the Women’s Prize for Fiction.

Being Human 2018

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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East Midlands

East Midlands PERFORMANCE | NOTTINGHAM

Losing Her Voice Organised by the University of Nottingham Sunday 18 November, 17:00–18:30 Foyer of the Royal Concert Hall | Booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection This live opera performance incorporates archival media of the early 20th-century American diva Geraldine Farrar, who became a silent film star. The event will utilise new technologies to enable interaction between live opera singers and the film.

WA L K | N O T T I N G H A M

Remembering Nottingham’s First World War Organised by the University of Nottingham Monday 19 November, 11:00–13:00, 13:00–15:00 Trent Building | Booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection Walk from the University of Nottingham to the city centre to discover the sites of the First World War. Incorporating songs and stories, this guided tour will explore how Nottingham responded to the War and how it mourned its dead.

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WA L K | N O T T I N G H A M

Walking With Lawrence Organised by Nottingham Trent University Tuesday 20 November, 12:00–13:00 Five Leaves Bookshop | No booking required Discover Nottingham through the eyes of one of the city’s most infamous writers, D.H. Lawrence. This one hour walking tour will explore the city centre that inspired much of Lawrence’s writing. Meet at Five Leaves bookshop at 11:45.

PERFORMANCE | NOTTINGHAM

Nothing is Not the End! Organised by the University of Nottingham Thursday 22 November, 20:00–22:00 Chameleon Arts Café | Booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection Interested in experimental and new music? Come along for three experimental music performances with world-leading noise artist Romain Perrot. The performances will be focussed on sound and the physical representation of noise, music, excess and failure.

Being Human 2018

East Midlands

East Midlands

PA N E L | N O T T I N G H A M

DISCUSSION | NOTTINGHAM

Nottingham Nature: Back to a Future?

Hallelujah and Allahu-Akbar

Organised by the University of Nottingham Wednesday 21 November, 19:30–21:00 Attenborough Nature Centre | Booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection This panel debate and audience discussion will confront species extinctions and what these have meant ecologically, socially and culturally. It will also focus on new ambitions to return and restore lost species in Nottinghamshire.

WORKSHOP | NOTTINGHAM

A Rose is a Rose is a Rose Organised by the University of Nottingham Thursday 22 November, 18:30–20:30 Nottingham Contemporary | Booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection Take part in this creative writing workshop exploring the links between literature and visual art. Delve into a discussion of the avant-garde texts of Gertrude Stein and Mina Loy, then begin your own writing adventures based on feminism, gender and resistance.

Being Human 2018

Organised by the University of Nottingham Friday 23 November, 15:00–17:00 Ludorati Cafe | No booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection Come along to this discussion that will explore expressions of glorying ‘God’ in faiths and languages.

Look behind the Islamic phrase Allahu-Akbar, now notorious and misinterpreted by the media, to discover its true meaning and history.

WORKSHOP | NOTTINGHAM

A Ticket to Ride Organised by the University of Nottingham Saturday 24 November, 11:00–17:00 The Priory Church of St Antony | Booking required Series: Our Many Points of Connection A unique acting workshop for community and university actors exploring the zarzuela (Spanish operetta), which is rarely performed in Britain. This session asks how the dialogue can be adapted for English audiences and investigates the medium’s ability to present social problems.

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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West Midlands

West Midlands PA N E L | B I R M I N G H A M

M U LT I - F O R M AT | S H R E W S B U RY

Your Infertility: Our Problem?

Shrewsbury’s Quarry: Past and Future

Organised by the University of Birmingham Thursday 22 November, 19:00–20:30 University of Birmingham Edgbaston Campus | No booking required Join a discussion on IVF and the NHS with doctors, politicians and activists whose work has shaped the development of fertility medicine in Britain. Learn how 40 years after its inception, IVF remains out of reach for many infertile Britons.

Organised by Lancaster University Sunday 18 November (see online for times) Shrewsbury Museum and Art Gallery | Booking required A day of talks, walks and creative activities at Shrewsbury Museum and the Quarry, looking at the history of Shrewsbury’s 29-acre park. Explore how this social space has been an inspiration for literature and drama, and examine how its legacy might be developed for future communities.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | D U D L E Y A N D WOLVERHAM PTON

Snidge Scrumpin’: Mapping Smell and Memory Organised by the University of Wolverhampton Wednesday 21 November, 19:30–21:00 Black Country Living Museum | Booking required Thursday 22 November, 19:30–21:00 Wolverhampton Art Gallery | Booking required Series: Snidge Scrumpin’ Smell has the special capacity to take us right back to our childhood. Snidge Scrumpin’ maps the specific smells that belong to the Black Country. Come along to learn more and take part in experiments mapping regional smells and tastes.

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EX H I BITION | STOKE-ON-TRENT

Feral Futures Organised by Keele University Saturday 17 November, 11:00–15:00 Spoke Works | No booking required Saturday 24 November, 11:00–15:00 Potteries Museum | No booking required Ten brave child explorers have investigated, mapped and recorded ‘derelict’ Burslem Port – a local area of disused, wild industrial space. This exhibition includes notes, photographs and materials collected by the children during their research and asks what should we make of these places?

Being Human 2018

East of England

East of England WORKSHOP | ROYSTON

From a King to a Cartoonist Organised by the Royston and District Museum and Art Gallery Saturday 24 November, 10:00– 15:30 Royston and District Museum and Art Gallery | No booking required Learn the tricks of being a local history researcher in this workshop that will explore the stories of local people by using their obituaries. Delve into the pages of the Royston Crow newspaper and the museum’s photograph collection to uncover the past.

Being Human 2018

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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South West

South West W O R K S H O P | BAT H

PERFORMANCE | BRISTOL

Times of Revolt, Revolting Times

‘Medea in Exile’: Origins of a Myth

Organised by the University of Bath Wednesday 21 November, 13:30–15:30 Twerton Park | Booking required 2018 marks the centenary of womens’ suffrage in the UK and 50 years since May ‘68 in Paris. What would you have done if you’d been there? In this workshop, create your own posters and banners for the revolts.

Organised by the University of Bristol Wednesday 21 November, 14:00–17:00 Wickham Theatre | Booking required You might think we know Medea: a scorned lover responsible for a monstrous revenge. But there are other sides to this story from the one found in Euripides. In this staged reading, witness a contemporary take on a classical myth.

I N S TA L L AT I O N | B R I S T O L

End of Gender?

Organised by the University of the West of England Saturday 17 November and Sunday 18 November, 11:00–17:00 Watershed | No booking required As traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ roles rapidly change in society, are we heading for a future where gender no longer matters? Put on a mixed reality headset and interact with a genderqueer wardrobe where the possibilities of gender are endless.

WA L K | B R I STO L

Landfill and Lichens Organised by the University of Leeds Sunday 18 November, Wednesday 21 November and Saturday 24 November, 11:30–12:30 Lamplighter’s Marsh | Booking required Series: Landfill and Lichens Join acclaimed naturalists and conservationists for a guided walk at Lamplighter’s Marsh. Explore the resurgence of nature in this post-industrial landscape and discover the richness of one of Bristol’s unsung edgelands.

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PERFORMANCE | EXETER

Staging Suffrage: Queer Feminist Performance Organised by the University of Exeter Thursday 15 November, 15:00–16:30 Royal Albert Memorial Museum | Booking required Series: Journeys in Place and Time Meet some of the great women of history through this performed reading of Cicely Hamilton’s 1909 play A Pageant of Great Women. Explore the connections between the fight for suffrage and LGBTQ+ history as imagined by groundbreaking queer suffrage activists.

HUB

Journeys in Place and Time

Organised by the University of Exeter This year’s Being Human hub in Exeter will explore some remarkable journeys and the stories told around them. From walking among Exeter’s dead to following the pathways of Roman ‘ingenious soil’, this will be a journey to remember. Discover the complex histories of groundbreaking queer suffrage activists, learn about the archaeological treasures that have been found beneath the city, and discover the origins of the animals that share our lives today. You’ll also have a chance to be immersed in tales of skulduggery in the Cathedral Close, witchcraft, a fatal duel, and a saint who carried off her own severed head.

Being Human 2018

WORKSHOP | EXETER

Devon in Translation Organised by the University of Exeter Saturday 17 November and Sunday 18 November (see online for times) Exeter Central Library | Booking required Series: Journeys in Place and Time Were you born outside the UK? Bring a memory object with you and talk about your experiences of moving to Devon in your mother tongue. You’ll also have the chance to contribute to a short film, which will be screened in Exeter.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | E X E T E R

Explore! The Archaeology of Exeter Organised by the University of Exeter Saturday 17 November, 10:00–17:00 Royal Albert Memorial Museum | No booking required Series: Journeys in Place and Time Join researchers from the University of Exeter in a range of engaging interactive activities that aim to tell the story of the city through the archaeological collections of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | E X E T E R

South West

South West FOOD AND DRINK | EXETER

Protein Pressures Organised by the University of Exeter Saturday 17 November, 17:30– 21:00 TBC | Booking required Series: Journeys in Place and Time Join the Exeter Cookery School in an exploration of the archaeology, history and culture of meat consumption, and discover the consequences for humans, animals and the environment of our changing attitudes towards meat.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | E X E T E R

Invasions! Extinctions!

Organised by the University of Exeter Sunday 18 November, 10:00–16:00 Royal Albert Memorial Museum | No booking required Series: Journeys in Place and Time Britain’s animals reflect the islands’ cultural history.

Discover the origins of the animals that share our lives today, and the endings of those that were brought to extinction. Debate re-wilding and re-introduction.

Ingenious Soil Organised by the University of Exeter Saturday 17 November–Friday 23 November, 08:00–17:00 TBC | No booking required Series: Journeys in Place and Time Soil is animal, vegetable and mineral. It can signify waste, dirt, decay and the origin of life. By exploring Virgil’s Georgics, the ancient Roman agricultural poem, this series of events considers the idea of ‘ingenious soil’ through text, image and conversation.

Being Human 2018

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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South West

South West WA L K | E X E T E R

Walking the Exeter Dead Organised by the University of Exeter Saturday 24 November, 10:30–12:00 Exeter Central Library | Booking required Series: Journeys in Place and Time On this guided walk through the centre of Exeter discover its history of deaths, diseases and disasters.

Immerse yourself in tales of skulduggery in the Cathedral Close, witchcraft, a fatal duel, and a saint who carried off her own severed head.

TA L K | P LY M O U T H

First Contact: Imagining Aliens and Strangers Organised by the University of Plymouth Monday 19 November, 18:15–19:15 TBC | Booking required How has the novel imagined better forms of community? Examine the concept of utopia by considering issues of otherness and difference, and the traditional trope of travelling to strange lands to make contact with advanced civilisations.

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S C R E E N I N G | P LY M O U T H

‘Arrival’ (2016) Organised by the University of Plymouth Monday 19 November, 19:30–21:30 Jill Craigie Cinema | Booking required When gigantic spaceships touch down around the world in Arrival, Professor Louise Banks must find a way to communicate with the extraterrestrial visitors.

Consider how our minds are shaped by language in this specially introduced science fiction screening.

S C R E E N I N G | P LY M O U T H

Imperfect Orchestra present ‘Metamorphosis’ Organised by the University of Plymouth Saturday 24 November, 19:00–21:00 TBC | Booking required Imperfect Orchestra presents Metamorphosis, a short film exploring transformations through experimentation and abstraction in this contemporary reimagining of Franz Kafka’s 1915 novella.

Being Human 2018

South East

South East PERFORMANCE | CANTERBU RY

WORKSHOP | CANTERBU RY

Walking with Refugee Tales

Writing from the Inside Out

Organised by the University of Kent Thursday 15 November and Friday 16 November, 18:00–20:00 Canterbury Cathedral | Booking required This pair of events looks at indefinite detention and how ‘Refugee Tales’ aims to end such practices, including readings from leading writers in the historic setting of Canterbury Cathedral.

Organised by Canterbury Christ Church University Tuesday 20 November, 13:00–14:30 Canterbury Christ Church University Prison | Booking required Series: Canterbury Tales: From the City to the Sea Canterbury’s 19th-century prison was primarily designed to punish; however, some Victorian inmates learned to read and write here. In this workshop, historic writing experts will share the history of the prison and invite you to create your own responses.

DISCUSSION | CANTERBU RY

History: the beginning of the end?

Organised by Canterbury Christ Church University Friday 16 November, 16:30–18:00 Canterbury Cathedral Archives and Library | Booking required Series: Canterbury Tales: From the City to the Sea Is there a future for the humanities? Are we really what we read? This school debate faces these questions head-on, putting teachers, academics and heritage professionals in conversation with young people.

WA L K | C A N T E R B U RY

Walk Through the Walls Organised by Canterbury Christ Church University Tuesday 20 November, 10:00–12:00 Canterbury Westgate | Booking required Series: Canterbury Tales: From the City to the Sea Vagrancy, revolt, treason! Join this immersive walk through Canterbury from the Westgate to the 19thcentury prison, charting changing attitudes to power and authority from the Early Modern period to the present day.

Being Human 2018

PA N E L | C O L C H E S T E R

Seeing Red: Periods and Protest (Panel) Organised by the University of Essex Thursday 15 November, 19:30–21:00 Essex Business School, Lecture Theatre 2.2, University of Essex | Booking required Series: Seeing Red: The History of Periods and Protest This event champions ways to eradicate period poverty by fuelling an inspiring discussion about women’s health and protest, past and present. Bringing together campaigners and historians, the evening will explore how the history of menstruation informs contemporary activism about periods.

EXHIBITION | FOLKESTONE

Flight and Refuge – Folkestone Welcomes All Organised by Canterbury Christ Church University Thursday 15 November– Saturday 24 November, 10:00–16:00 Folkestone Museum | No booking required Series: Canterbury Tales: From the City to the Sea An exhibition at Folkstone Museum exploring how the community welcomed Belgian refugees during the First World War. Come and see the parallels between responses to wartime refugees from across the channel and the modern day immigration crisis.

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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South East

South East PERFORMANCE | FOLKESTONE

M U LT I - F O R M AT | O X F O R D

First of the Feathers

O. G. S. Crawford: Life in Photographs

Organised by Canterbury Christ Church University Wednesday 21 November, 14:00–15:00 Folkestone Leas Bandstand | No booking required Series: Canterbury Tales: From the City to the Sea Drawing on the experiences of suffragists and soldiers over the course of the First World War, this immersive dramatisation will explore the motivations behind women’s political action between 1914 and 1918 and the impact this had on a generation of men.

Organised by the Pitt Rivers Museum Thursday 15 November–Saturday 24 November (see online for times) Pitt Rivers Museum and Oxford University Museum of Natural History | No booking required Explore the life of the famous archaeologist O. G. S. Crawford through an object handling session and visit a pop-up display of Crawford’s photographs.

E X H I B I T I O N | M A R G AT E

Diseases of Modern Life: Victorian Light Night

Reinventing Dreamland Organised by Canterbury Christ Church University Thursday 22 November, 12:00–15:00 Dreamland | Booking required Series: Canterbury Tales: From the City to the Sea With help from the mods and rockers, school groups can see behind the scenes of Margate’s Dreamland amusement park. From its Victorian origins in ‘Sanger’s Hall by the Sea’ to its ‘end’ by fire, and eventual reopening, this event will showcase the history of one of Kent’s best loved attractions.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | O X F O R D

Organised by the University of Oxford Friday 16 November, 18:00–23:00 TORCH | Booking required Follow the light trail through Oxford to reach a spectacular light and sound installation projected onto the old Radcliffe Infirmary. Once in the Infirmary’s courtyard, experience bite-size talks, interactive activities and games exploring the origins and endings of Victorian diseases.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | P O R T S M O U T H

Brexit on Page and Stage Organised by the University of Portsmouth Thursday 22 November, 18:00–20:00 The Square Tower | Booking required What impact will Brexit have on culture in Britain? What impact is it having already? This event considers these issues through an interactive theatre performance, a talk on the British mounting of the musical Hamilton and a discussion on Brexit and the arts.

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Being Human 2018

M U LT I - F O R M AT | R E A D I N G

Folk – A MERL Late Organised by the University of Reading Tuesday 20 November, 19:00–22:00 The Museum of English Rural Life | Booking required Explore a world of folk at this evening of live music, drinks, activities and talks. From folktales and wolflore to adultery and rough music. From outsider arts to folk medicine. From religious pilgrimage to art intervention.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | R E A D I N G

‘The Long Take’: Origins and Endings in Film Noir Organised by the University of Reading Saturday 24 November, 17:00–20:00 Minghella Cinema | Booking required Immerse yourself in the world of film noir with a poetry reading, film screening and exhibition. There is also the opportunity to hear acclaimed poet Robin Robertson in conversation about his award-winning noir narrative The Long Take.

WORKSHOP | ROCHESTER

South East

South East M U LT I - F O R M AT | SOUTHAMPTON

Hands-on Humanities Day Organised by the University of Southampton Saturday 17 November, 10:00–17:00 Avenue Campus, University of Southampton | Booking required Come along to a day of family fun with hands-on activities, workshops, talks and tours. Join a poetry workshop, help an archaeologist unearth new finds, be transported by a magical story or go on a historical adventure.

EXHIBITION | SOUTHEND-ON-SEA

Seeing Red: Periods and Protest (Exhibition) Organised by the University of Essex Saturday 24 November, 10:00–17:00 Beecroft Art Gallery | No booking required Series: Seeing Red: The History of Periods and Protest An exhibition showcasing creative responses to the history of women’s health and activism in Britain.

Visitors will be invited to use historical sources to make posters and donation boxes raising awareness about period poverty in Essex and beyond.

Music and Migration Organised by the University of Kent Saturday 24 November, 11:00–12:30 Huguenot Museum | Booking required Discover the origins of some of today’s best loved music in this interactive workshop. Join in, learn, and create rhythms from Arabic and Western music, while finding out about the journey music makes with its people when they migrate.

Being Human 2018

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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London

London (by borough) EXHIBITION | CAMDEN

WORKSHOP | CAMDEN

Living Zoroastrianism

Ladies of Quality Wikithon

Organised by SOAS, University of London Thursday 15 November–Saturday 24 November (see online for days and times) The Foyle Special Collections Gallery, Brunei Gallery | No booking required Experience a rare and ancient Zoroastrian ritual in virtual reality. Listen to local dialects of Zoroastrians and explore costumes, artefacts and paintings from this ancient religion of pre-Islamic Iran.

Organised by The Foundling Museum Saturday 17 November, 13:00–16:00 The Foundling Museum | Booking required Take part in a Wikipedia edit-a-thon with Birkbeck researchers and help bring overlooked stories of women to the fore. Explore how women permeate every aspect of the Foundling Hospital’s story; from wet nurses to mothers, foundlings to artists.

PERFORMANCE | CAMDEN

TOUR | CAMDEN

Beautiful Confusion in Senate House

Camden to Enfield on the 29 Bus

Organised by the School of Advanced Study, University of London Thursday 15 November–Friday 23 November, 9:00–17:30 Senate House | No booking required Beautiful Confusion Collective specialise in exploring gender and the built environment through site-responsive performances. During Being Human they will be in residence at Senate House, University of London. See online for details of short performances throughout the festival.

TA L K | CA M D E N

Creation and Destruction: Stories by the Fire Organised by the Institute of Physics Thursday 15 November, 18:30–21:00 Skip Garden | Booking required Where did we come from? Where are we going? Come along to a very special night of storytelling by the fireside. Explore different ideas about the creation and fate of the universe through myths, legends and the latest scientific discoveries.

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Organised by the University of Westminster in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London Sunday 18 November, 15:00–18:00 Greek Orthodox Cathedral Church of All Saints | Booking required Hop on an iconic double-decker bus to follow London’s Greek Cypriot heritage northward from its origins in Camden Town via coffee houses, restaurants, shops and churches that tell of the community’s history through audio-recorded testimonials, photographs and music.

WORKSHOP | CAMDEN

Recycling Roman Ruins Organised by University College London Monday 19 November, 10:00–12:00 Institute of Making | Booking required Join this hands-on workshop at the Institute of Making, where expert makers and archaeologists will explore how ancient craftspeople transformed Roman materials. Get creative, undertake Roman-style recycling and take home your own creations.

Being Human 2018

London

London (by borough) WORKSHOP | CAMDEN

DISCUSSION | CAMDEN

Clay, Marble and Pixels

The Beginning of the End for Inequality

Organised by the School of Advanced Study, University of London Monday 19 November and Wednesday 21 November, 15:00–17:00 IHR Research Training Room, Senate House | Booking required Series: Clay, Marble and Pixels These interactive events will focus on the inhabited spaces of Roman times, offering a user-friendly digital experience where participants will learn the basics of 3D modelling and create their own imaginary city and unique ancient house.

TOUR | CAMDEN

The Origins of The Wiener Library Organised by The Wiener Library Wednesday 21 November and Thursday 22 November, 13:00–14:00 Wiener Library | Booking required Through this talk and archive tour, find out about the origins and history of The Wiener Library, the world’s oldest archive of material on the Nazi era and the Holocaust.

Being Human 2018

Organised by Senate House Library Wednesday 21 November, 15:00–17:00 Senate House Library | No booking required Visit Senate House Library’s Periodicals Room for talks and a collection display marking the anniversaries of two important Acts – the centenary allowing women to stand for election as MPs, and the 15 year anniversary marking the repeal of anti-gay legislation, Section 28.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | CAMDEN

Exploring Under the Skin Organised by University College London Wednesday 21 November, 17:00–20:00 TBC | Booking required Being human is not just skin deep. Come and explore what lies under your skin through a night of talks and activities from across the humanities, arts and sciences.

Includes everything from anatomical artworks to interactive experiments.

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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London

London (by borough) DISCUSSION | CAMDEN

LAU NCH | CITY OF LON DON

Post Truth Politics in the Pub

Journeys Through Print

Organised by the School of Advanced Study, University of London Wednesday 21 November, 18:30–20:30 The Marquis Cornwallis | No booking required Where better to debate the complexities of a ‘posttruth’ world than in the pub? Pop in, grab a pint, and enjoy some short philosophical presentations and discussions on the role of truth in politics, fake news, distrust of media, and propaganda.

TA L K | CI T Y O F L O N D O N

Classical Music, Noisy Listening Organised by Gresham College Monday 19 November, 18:00–19:00 Museum of London | No booking required Shh! This talk explores what has become a tradition of as-quiet-as-possible, cough-free contemplation in concert halls, which were not always that way.

From Mozart to Mahler, from medieval repertoires to minimalism, discuss musical works as tools for listening.

TA L K | CI T Y O F L O N D O N

The Romantic Child Organised by Gresham College Tuesday 20 November, 18:00–19:00 Museum of London | No booking required Learn about the Romantic’s invention of childhood in this talk exploring the role of children and poetic autobiography in the work of William Blake and William Wordsworth.

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Organised by the School of Advanced Study, University of London Thursday 22 November, 18:00–21:00 St Bride Library | Booking required Blending history and mobile technology, this event will launch a new app, which will take you on a self-guided tour of London’s traditional printing district. Come along and get a chance to print from one of the historic presses in St Bride’s collection.

TOUR | GREENWICH

From Dust to Dust?

Organised by the University of Greenwich Saturday 17 November, 11:00–16:00 St Alfege church and the site of St Mary’s church | Booking required Explore changing historic attitudes to death, burial and memorialisation in a tour of the atmospheric crypt of St Alfege Parish Church, and a guided walk around the site of the demolished St Mary’s.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | G R E E N W I C H

The Archaeological Origins of Britain in Palestine Organised by the University of Greenwich Friday 23 November, 15:00–17:30 Palestine Exploration Fund | Booking required This afternoon of talks, object handling, map-making and more will let you get handson with artefacts, documents, and photographs that tell gripping stories of the British in Palestine, and how archaeology shaped the Middle East as we know it.

Being Human 2018

London

London (by borough) FOOD AND DRINK | HARINGEY

SCREENING | LAMBETH

Stories from El Salvador

Turkish Exorcist

Organised by the School of Advanced Study, University of London Saturday 17 November, 12:00–14:00 Seven Sisters Indoor Market | Booking required Join us for an afternoon of Spanish language storytelling and Salvadoran food tasting, and learn about El Salvador’s recent mining ban. The event is hosted by UK Latin Village, a market undergoing its own struggles to preserve its cultural heritage.

Organised by King’s College London Saturday 24 November, 19:30–22:00 The Cinema Museum | Booking required Did you know there was a Turkish remake of The Exorcist and that they replaced Catholicism with Islam? Come to this screening of the digitally restored film followed by a panel discussion about this interesting remake.

WORKSHOP | ISLINGTON

Heritage Hack

No Beginning, No End

Organised by Goldsmiths, University of London Saturday 17 November–Sunday 18 November (see online for times) Goldsmiths SU Bar | Booking required Join Hacksmiths for a two-day invention marathon to create novel, impactful tech solutions that breathe new life into Lewisham’s past. People of all abilities are invited to collaborate on projects addressing the digital challenges of four south London heritage organisations, including the Horniman Museum.

Organised by SOAS, University of London Saturday 17 November, 12:00-16:30 Islington Libraries | Booking required Join author and performer Vayu Naidu as she leads a storytelling performance and workshop about stories that travel across cultures and languages. There will also be a chance to compose and tell your own story in this celebration of multilingualism.

WORKSHOP | LEWISHAM

DISCUSSION | ISLINGTON

Humans Designing Humans Organised by Palgrave Macmillan Tuesday 20 November, 18:30–21:00 Springer Nature – The Stables Building | Booking required A panel of experts explore what it means to be human in an age of rapid scientific advance, ‘designer babies’ and genetic editing.

Should we allow ourselves to create bespoke human embryos? What has history taught us about humans designing humans?

Being Human 2018

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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London

London (by borough) WORKSHOP | RICHMOND

Exploring Latin Poetry Organised by The National Archives Wednesday 21 November, 14:00–16:30 The National Archives | Booking required The Early Modern period saw a flowering of literature written in English, but Latin was still alive and well.

Using archival documents, learn why poets used Latin in this era, and translate some poetry yourself.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | R I C H M O N D

Inclusive Shakespeare Organised by the University of Roehampton Friday 23 November, 11:00–13:00 (performance) and 14:00–16:00 (workshop) Orange Tree Theatre | Booking required Series: Antique Fables, Shaping Fantasies Flute Theatre perform their inclusive production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for autistic children and their accompanying adults.

Actors will play sensory games with up to 15 young people to unravel the story of this magical play. A separate participatory workshop explores how Flute adapts Shakespeare for inclusive audiences, particularly children on the autistic spectrum. Acclaimed director Kelly Hunter shares her method of sensory immersive theatre and what has made it so effective.

I N S TA L L AT I O N | T O W E R HAMLETS

Other Registers Organised by Queen Mary University of London Thursday 15 November and Friday 16 November, 16:00–20:00 ArtsOne, QMUL Mile End Campus | No booking required Series: London Bound This immersive sound installation uses software to transform official data about police violence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, into sound. Visitors are invited to listen to statistics, played via a circle of eight loudspeakers.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | T O W E R HAMLETS

Weaving Women’s Stories

W O R KS H O P | S O U T H WA R K

Organised by the School of Advanced Study, University of London Friday 16 November, 19:30–22:00, Saturday 17 November, 10:00–17:30 St Margaret’s House | Booking required Explore the connections between storytelling and textile-making in women’s lives from ancient Greece to modern London, with an interactive evening performance and drop-in craft workshops inspired by ancient poetry and archaeology.

I Write My World!

WORKSHOP | TOWER HAMLETS

Organised by Queen Mary University of London Saturday 17 November, 11:00–12:30 John Harvard Library | Booking required Series: London Bound This writing workshop will give children (aged 8–12 years) a chance to explore their international heritage and identity.

Children will remember, reflect, and discuss place and memory and write about what it means to them to have heritage from around the world.

Motherhood and Making

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Organised by Queen Mary University of London Saturday 17 November, 10:30–17:30 V&A Museum of Childhood | Booking required Series: London Bound Gender pay gaps, precarious work, paltry paternity leave – what does it mean to be a mother working in the creative arts? Explore the role of motherhood in contemporary society with talks by artists and writers, plus a zine-making workshop for under 10s.

Being Human 2018

London

London (by borough) WA L K | TO W E R H A M L E T S HUB

London Bound

Organised by Queen Mary University of London Whether they started their lives here or ended up here, over 8 million people call London ‘home’.

Through audio-visual workshops, tea tasting, walking tours and creative workshops, Queen Mary will look at the many facets of London’s identity, and the people who make up this great city. Explore how motherhood informs the work of writers and artists, discover East London’s medical history, and listen to a panel of health professionals talk about death and dying. Also, don’t miss a rare opportunity to see the derelict Royal London Hospital building come to life as words and photographic projections evoke the ghosts of its past.

I N S TA L L AT I O N | T O W E R H A M L E T S

The Last of The London Organised by Queen Mary University of London Saturday 17 November, 18:30–20:00 Former Royal London Hospital Building | Booking required Series: London Bound As night descends on the Whitechapel Road, see the derelict Royal London Hospital building come to life one last time as words and photographic projections evoke the ghosts of its past.

Being Human 2018

Tea’s London Journey Organised by Queen Mary University of London Sunday 18 November, 10:00–13:30 Canning Town Station | Booking required Series: London Bound Connect with the sites where tea became the national drink of Britain. Follow its journey from the docks of the East India Company, via London’s forgotten Chinatown and the warehouses of the East End, to wholesale sites in the City.

TOUR | TOWER HAMLETS

Poetry against Slavery Organised by Birkbeck, University of London Sunday 18 November, Thursday 22 November, Saturday 24 November, 12:00–13:00, 15:00–16:00 Museum of London Docklands | No booking required Series: London Bound On this tour of the Museum of London Docklands, discover how poetry galvanised resistance against the oppression of African, Caribbean and Black British people, influenced Caribbean literature, and inspired the anti-slavery movement.

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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London

London (by borough) LAU NCH | TOWER HAM LETS

E X H I B I T I O N | WA N D SW O R T H

Before the NHS: Discovering East London’s Medical Past

Our Mythical Childhood

Organised by Queen Mary University of London Monday 19 November, 17:30–19:00 Royal London Hospital Museum | Booking required Series: London Bound Attend the launch of a new walking guide to East London’s medical history. Pick up a map that allows you to explore the relics of hospitals that existed long before the NHS, and to discover their esoteric histories.

PERFORMANCE | TOWER HAMLETS

Keyboard Evolution Organised by Queen Mary University of London Tuesday 20 November, 13:00–20:15 The Octagon, Queen Mary University of London | Booking required Series: London Bound Art and science entwine in an exploration of the evolution of keyboard instruments from the early clavichord to new technologies. Come along for a day of workshops, discussions and performances, featuring researchers in musicology and science, alongside renowned pianist Rolf Hind.

M U LT I - F O R M AT | T O W E R HAMLETS

A Fragile Grip on Life? Loss, Hope and Childhood Organised by Queen Mary University of London Wednesday 21 November, 19:00–21:00 Ragged School Museum | Booking required Series: London Bound Join writer Sarah Wise, museum director Erica Davies and academics from Queen Mary University of London for a discussion on child poverty in Victorian London, followed by a chamber music performance in the evocative surroundings of the Ragged School Museum.

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Organised by the University of Roehampton Thursday 15 November–Sunday 18 November, 09:00–18:00 Roehampton University Library | Booking required Series: Antique Fables, Shaping Fantasies This exhibition showcases illustrations of myths in children’s literature from rare books to those from the open-shelf collection that can be handled and read. Children are encouraged to produce their own illustrations and add them to the exhibition.

D I S C U S S I O N | WA N D SW O R T H

Shaping Fables with Marcia Williams Organised by the University of Roehampton Wednesday 21 November, 17:00–18:00 Roehampton University Library | Booking required Series: Antique Fables, Shaping Fantasies In this event accompanying an exhibition of illustrated children’s classics, popular author-illustrator Marcia Williams discusses her creative process in conversation. The Q&A is suitable for all ages, and children are especially encouraged to bring their own questions.

EXHIBITION | WESTMINSTER

The Origins and Endings of Britain and the EU? Organised by LSE Thursday 15 November, 13:00–14:00 LSE Library Gallery | No booking required What does Brexit mean to you? Come and explore an exhibition on the topic and have artefacts brought to life through a talk on the origins of European integration and anti-federalist movements.

Being Human 2018

DISCUSSION | WESTMINSTER

WA L K | W E ST M I N ST E R

My First Death

The Inglorious Dead

Organised by Queen Mary University of London Friday 16 November, 18:00–19:30 Royal College of Nursing | Booking required Series: London Bound How do healthcare professionals cope with death? In what ways do our deaths affect them? Join this frank and candid conversation about death, dying and mourning in the modern health service at the Royal College of Nursing.

Organised by the University of Roehampton Wednesday 21 November, 10:00–13:00 Meet at Banqueting House | Booking required Central London is littered with memorials to the nation’s war dead and military heroes. This event will take participants on a walk around the hidden, contested places associated with the infamous, from regicides to purported Nazi memorials.

PERFORMANCE | WESTMINSTER

The Soho Theatre at 50

Singing Les Roastbeef Organised by the British Academy Tuesday 20 November, 19:30–20:45 British Academy | Booking required In the Parisian ‘café-concert’ music hall, French audiences just couldn’t get enough of comedy Englishman acts. Find out more about these 19thcentury characters and enjoy a performance of comic songs, with stick-on sideburns and the frumpiest outfits in Europe.

Being Human 2018

London

London (by borough)

PERFORMANCE | WESTMINSTER Organised by the University of Westminster Friday 23 November, 13:00–15:00 ‘Soho Poly’ basement | Booking required Enter the reclaimed Soho Poly basement to mark the 50th anniversary of London’s Soho Theatre. Enjoy a reading of the theatre’s first ever production One Autumn Evening and listen to a short talk with its cofounder Fred Proud.

Book online: beinghumanfestival.org

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The Being Human Festival Team Professor Sarah Churchwell, festival director Dr Michael Eades, festival curator and manager Jo Chard, festival coordinator Dr Amanda Phipps, festival officer Georgia Reeves, festival intern We would like to thank all those who contributed to the Being Human 2018 programme. Special thanks to Emma Bohan-Leigh, Robert Kelly, Rosemary Lambeth, Maureen McTaggart, Jon Millington, Kristan Tetens and Laura Say. Programme produced by Marketing and Communications School of Advanced Study, University of London Printed by Image Data

This material is available in alternative formats upon request.

Please contact beinghuman@sas.ac.uk.

beinghumanfestival.org #BeingHuman18 twitter.com @BeingHumanFest facebook.com /BeingHumanFest instagram @beinghumanfest

Being Human festival School of Advanced Study Senate House Malet Street London WC1E 7HU United Kingdom Email beinghuman@sas.ac.uk beinghumanfestival.org