Talks / Ideas / Philosophy

Canal Tales: Making Masks, Costumes and Procession Props

96 Euston Road

Thu 6 Aug · 13:00 · Free

Talk

About this event

Join us at The Last Word community hub for Canal Tales' weekly making sessions and help bring a canalside summer procession to life.Participants will choose their favourite characters from the co-created Canal Tales, or invent their own canal characters, and create masks, costumes, puppets, and procession props for the summer procession. Guided by emerging creative practitioners, we will explore sustainable making techniques and experiment with reclaimed and low-impact materials.As part of the Canal Tales programme, these making sessions transform shared stories and ideas into creative forms that can be carried, worn, performed, and celebrated during the summer procession.Please note:venue: The Last Word community hub (Piazza, The British Library)materials and tools: a wide range of reclaimed arts and craft materials will be provided, along with basic tools. You are also welcome to bring your own tools and materialsrefreshments: tea, coffee, and biscuits will be providedphotography and filming: photos and videos will be taken during the session for evaluation, documentation, and promotional purposes. Please let us know if you prefer not to be includedparticipant commitment: to help bring the procession to life, we encourage participants to create at least one procession piece (usually requiring one or two making sessions) and take part in the summer procession.What is the Canal Tales Project?Canal Tales: Walking, Imagining, Making, Performing is a series of participatory community activities taking place across the British Library and along Regent’s Canal in King’s Cross and Camden.Connecting the British Library’s canal collections and resources with the living canal environment, the project invites diverse local communities to explore stories, memories, creativity, ecology, and everyday life connected to the waterways through sustainable creative activities.The project is produced by Canal Dream CIC and led by Chuntian Hu. It is funded through the British Library’s Green Libraries Hubs Grant Scheme, supported by The National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund.