Being Human Festival 2019
In November, Central is taking part in the 2019 Being Human Festival. Being Human is the UK’s only national festival and celebration of the humanities, led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London in partnership with the Arts & Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. The programme of free events and activities for all ages runs from 14 – 23 November, 2019.
On Monday 18 November, Research Fellow Dr Dani Ploeger will present War in the Streets: Terror and Weapons in Media in partnership with the Institute of Contemporary Arts. As an artist and researcher, Dr Ploeger examines themes surrounding computer programming, electronics hacking, cultural theory and performance. His work investigates and subverts the spectacles of sex, violence and waste in techno-consumer culture.
On Wednesday 20 November, Central’s Dr Katharine Low and Caroline Townsend will co-lead a series of workshops and events entitled Being Well and Wondrous with Positively UK and with support from Mind.
Dr Katharine Low is a Senior Lecturer in Community Performance and Applied Theatre and Central and a research-practitioner in the field of applied theatre and sexual health. Through her research Dr Low collaborates regularly with Positively UK, a charity providing peer-led support, advocacy and information to individuals living with HIV in order to ensure that they can effectively manage any aspect of their diagnosis, care and life with HIV.
Caroline Townsend is a Senior Lecturer in Crafts and Costume Construction Course Leader at Central, as well as the BA Theatre Practice 1st Year Leader. She is a Costume Maker of both Women’s and Menswear and is passionate about crafts and making, especially for performance. Through her work with the School, she encourages students and graduates to apply their understanding of the rigour of traditional performance to contemporary and innovative work as well as more mainstream practice.
On Wednesday November 20, Central’s Dr Naomi Paxton will lead a workshop at the Museum of Comedy entitled Different Stages and focused on themes of arts and advocacy, and theatre and medicine.
Dr Naomi Paxton is a researcher, performer, writer and Central’s Knowledge Exchange Fellow.
About War in the Streets: Terror and Weapons in Media
The prominence of automatic firearms in the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks has marked the return of the image of the battlefield soldier in European everyday life: armed terrorists and security forces in military attire seem to increasingly populate public space. This development also affects the production and perception of news reports, cinema and media art. In response to a screening of digital artwork and fragments from film and news media, a panel led by artist Dani Ploeger and featuring a criminologist, a journalist and an international relations scholar will discuss everyday experiences of fear and violence.
War in the Streets: Terror and Weapons in Media will take place at the Institute of Contemporary Arts.
About Being Well and Wondrous
Art and culture play an important role in navigating and understanding our health and well being. It has been found that making together, crafting and story writing can allow people to explore what makes us human and supports us to celebrate being well with HIV. Through a series of workshops including book binding, creative writing and design, Being Well and Wondrous will promote creativity, celebrate all that is wonderful about us, our uniqueness and our interconnectedness.
Sessions will run throughout the day as drop ins, with a shared lunch at 1pm and will be co-led by Central and Positively UK with support from Mind. They are open to anybody who identifies as a woman or as non-binary, however f this effects your ability to attend please contact the organiser. Crèche facilities are also available.
Being Well and Wondrous will take place at St Margaret’s House in Bethnal Green.
About Different Stages
The Different Stages London showcase highlights examples of interesting and exciting work being done in and with theatre and performance based around the festival theme of Secrets and Discoveries. Through a series of short talks presenters will share their ideas, research and projects – to open up their work to new audiences and make new connections. All are welcome and tickets are free but must be booked in advance.
Different Stageswill take place at the Museum of Comedy.