Keele University and B-Arts to host event for national humanities festival
Keele University along with community partner B-Arts is hosting a ‘Play with Plastics’ event, as part of Being Human 2017, the UK’s only national festival of the humanities.
Taking place from 2-5pm on Saturday 18th and Saturday 25th November at B-Arts, Stoke-on-Trent, ‘Play with Plastics’ explores creative solutions to the problems of plastic waste. The event is part of a nationwide series organised by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC), and the British Academy (BA).
‘Play with Plastics’ aims to engage with the public on the puzzling issue of plastic waste. Visitors will be able to explore objects, experiment with 3D printing, and take part in hands-on making. The activities will be supported by readings, writing workshops, and film screenings. Watch, think, reflect, debate and play with stuff!
Deirdre McKay, Senior Lecturer in Social Geography and Environmental Politics at Keele and organiser of the event, said:
“Play with Plastics will allow visitors to work with local artists and facilitators from Keele University, who believe community creativity can help the UK revalue everyday materials that are all too often lost to waste.”
Being Human runs from 17–25 November, and is a national programme of big ideas, big debates and engaging activities for all ages. The 2017 festival is themed around ‘lost and found’. This event aims to champion the excellence of humanities research being undertaken in Staffordshire, helping to demonstrate the vitality and relevance of this today and showcase how the humanities help us understand ourselves, our relationships with others and the challenges we face in a changing world.
Hilary Hughes from B-Arts said: “We love a challenge and enjoy working with our hands to create new things! Innovation has always been at the heart of Stoke on Trent. These new technologies could help us change how we use and reuse plastics.”
The Being Human festival demonstrates the breadth, diversity and vitality of the humanities, their accessibility and relevance to people’s lives, and that research in the humanities is vital for the cultural, intellectual, political and social life of the UK and globally. Building on the success of previous years, this year’s festival aims to deliver a high-profile, networked, and cohesive series of events across the UK.
For further information and to book FREE tickets for this event, please see the Being Human website