Festival of the Dead

In 2022 two friends discussed the possibility of an artistic collaboration.  Addressing personal grief, aging, the collective losses of Covid and the imminent collapse of our natural world led them to create a story-based event that would invite the community to face death (in all its manifestations) as a way of meeting / celebrating / fully living life.  

This is Festival of the Dead.

This first Festival included storytelling in schools, creative workshops for children to build a giant large skeleton and items to carry in a parade.   We hosted a panel discussion on how the climate crisis was being addressed in Wandsworth, a death cafe, presentations about grief and ritual and we screened A Matter of Life and Death (Powell & Pressberger) at Lambeth Cemetery.  

The finale on Sunday 30 Oct, was styled as a Day of the Dead parade, and led by the dynamic Manchester band Mr Wilson’s Second Liners.  All the items made in workshops - lanterns, parade poles, masks, umbrellas, and the skeleton were carried from the lake to Woodfield Pavilion on Tooting Common where there was a welcome ritual, followed by more storytelling, a fire breather and party atmosphere under a full moon. 

Many people helped: local storytellers, artists, climate, cultural and community actors and organisations such as Art4Space, Fayland Children’s Centre, Meet and Make Spaces, All Saints Church, Poppy’s Funerals, Friends of Streatham Cemetery, the Woodfield Craftivists and most importantly, the Woodfield Pavilion where our finale took place.  Many volunteers supported the events and around 900 people took part or attended.

The project was supported financially by Wandsworth Grant Fund and Alexander Seymour Estate Agents..