Death in Cambridge. It doesn't sound as glamorous as Death in Venice, but we have arty buildings and the punting.
Most of all, we have a fantastic base of people enthusiastic about sharing art, information, ideas and conversation about dying and death which may well just have an impact on the way we choose to live our lives.
This sprang out of a surprisingly fun meeting at Death Cafe in Cambridge last year. It was the first time I experienced a gathering of people determined to break out of the taboo of death. We spoke, laughed (often very dark humour) and challenged ourselves to accept that we are mortal. We will all experience bereavement, and die ourselves, and we damned well better get used to the idea.
Discussions with the main organiser, and further discussions with the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge (which grew into my display at the Dias de los Muertos event) has now grown in plans for a festival events, mainly on the 13th May 2017, to coincide with Death Awareness Week.
There will be talks, discussions, chats, comedy, readings; as well as my art (with new works unveiled!), real human bone handling under the eye of an expert osteologist, and tissue research demonstration by the Cambridge Brain Bank. I won't even try to summarise any further, as things keep being added.
Go to the website, subscribe or follow on Facebook, and put it in your diary!
So please, if you are in Cambridge on the 13th May 2017, come and pop in for five minutes. Or five hours. Have cake, browse coffins, learn more about what your own skeleton looks like.
And the best is that it is all free!
Thanks to kind sponsorship from Miller Sands solicitors and Woodland Wishes Natural Burials, and support using public funding by the Arts Council England, it won't even cost the pennies off your eyes.
