Constructed book. 2016. Paper, collage and Dictionary. Festival in a Box is a project that offers people who can’t get out to the Bloomsbury Festival  an opportunity to participate in an enjoyable cultural event.  

The project was conceived in 2013/14 and was a collaboration between the School of Advanced Study, University of London, University College London, Bloomsbury Festival, and Age UK Camden. Artists, together with trained staff from Age UK Camden’s Dementia Befriending Service visit participants in their own homes and during these visits participants are encouraged to engage with different art forms.  The project  offers participants an opportunity to share their knowledge and stories of the area.  Some participants have lived in the Bloomsbury area for many years, so the project is not only an opportunity for them to actively engage with community life, but also to participate in re-narrating the history of Bloomsbury itself.

The constructed book is a starting point for conversations and activities, and acts as a memory jogger. Memories will be added to the book as it travels around so that they are shared and recorded.