I remember, some 12 years ago now (back in my days as a Fun Palace Maker), the original Fun Palaces staff team heading out on the road to deliver Fun Palaces workshops up and down the UK. I watched their tour unfold on Twitter, it felt so exciting, watching this new idea take hold – and thousands of people getting involved.
I feel the world lost a bit of that in-personness across the pandemic years. At Fun Palaces, like a lot of other places, workshops were moved and kept online. And while more accessible to many, there’s often a bit of magic that happens in a room, that doesn’t always happen online – the chat you have over the tea table, or on the way out at the end of the evening, the side-of-the-room conversations and connections, the way the energy in the room becomes infectious and exciting in a way it just doesn’t seem to online.
So, with that in mind, we’re very excited to announce that, thanks to our current funder The National Lottery Community Fund, Fun Palaces Support Hub are hitting the road (or probably the train) for a series of workshops across the UK. (Don’t worry – we’ve kept our free, online Fun Palaces workshop programme as well. )
We have partnered with some incredible venues across the UK, we’re working with existing partners and some exciting new ones, with thanks to Future Arts Centres for making some connections.
Culture belongs to us all! Find out how anyone anywhere can make a Fun Palace, where everyone is an artist, and everyone a scientist. Change the world (and your community) with radical fun.
YOU are invited to the FREE Fun Palaces Workshops! Free, but please book your place as space is limited.
Luton
Wednesday 11th June 6-8pm
Bricklayers Arms, 16-18 High Town Rd, Luton, LU2 0DD
Sheffield – RivelinCo
Friday 13th June 2pm – 4pm
Hillsborough Park Pavilion, Middlewood Road, S6 4HD
Book for the North Sheffield Workshop
Bristol – Trinity Arts
Sunday 22th June 12pm – 2pm
Trinity Centre, Trinity Road, Bristol BS2 0NW
Ipswich – Eastern Angles
Monday 23rd June 3.30-5.30pm
Eastern Angles, Gatacre Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2LQ
Book now for the Ipswich Workshop
Leeds
Wednesday 2nd July 6pm – 8pm
HEART Centre, Bennett Road, Headingley, LS6 3HN
Book now for the Leeds Worshop
Glasgow – The Pyramid
Monday 7th July 6-8pm
The Pyramid at Anderston SCIO, 759 Argyle Street Glasgow, G3 8DS
Conwy – The National Trust / Tŷ Aberconwy
17th July (Time TBC)
Register your interest for Conwy
Margate – ARK
Date TBC
ARK, Cliftonville’s Cultural Space, Albion Road, Margate CT9 2HP
Register your interest for Margate
Fun Palaces is an ongoing campaign for culture at the heart of community, with an annual weekend of simultaneous events every October (or another time if you can’t join in on the weekend). In 2025 the dates are the 3rd-5th October. Around the UK and beyond, local people will be gathering to make and share arts, sciences, heritage, tech, games and FUN – these workshops are your chance to find out more and share the skills needed to make it all happen.
You don’t need to be an expert to make a Fun Palace (though experts are allowed to make Fun Palaces too, if they want), and your Fun Palace can be as tiny or huge as you like.
Are you interested in taking part, finding out what your neighbourhood is capable of, and sharing skills, knowledge and of course, fun? Then come along to find out more.
At the workshop, we’ll share a little about the history of Fun Palaces, share information on how to start your own Fun Palace and there’ll be plenty of chance to chat, dream and meet new people. And yes – there’s always tea. And biscuits. Don’t worry, by coming to the workshop you will not be signing up for anything, and taking part in Fun Palaces is always free. You can find out more here, or watch this video to see what happened at Fun Palaces 2024.
Since 2014 there have been 2,809 Fun Palaces, made by 49,823 Makers, and attended by 881,824 people. You can join them this year by adding your Fun Palace to the map.
Any questions? Prefer to book by phone? Get in touch! Email Orla or ring 0208 692 4446 ext. 203 and leave a message.
