Living and leaving

What’s on offer?

This in-person conversation and arts-based event will take place at OurSpace Croydon, a community centre in central Croydon. It will last for 3 hours, taking place from 2pm-5pm on 1 November. Through individual and collective art-making and facilitated conversation, this event will invite participants to reflect on what it means to live and die in Croydon. Participants are encouraged to bring with them an item of clothing which will become the fabric used to weave a tapestry on our community loom, telling the stories of living, dying, joy and loss in Croydon.

What’s it about?

Living and Leaving will explore living, dying, joy and loss in Croydon. We will welcome community members from a number of local community groups and organisations to come together and listen, share and reflect on these themes. This facilitated conversation will take place as, together, we create a tapestry artwork, woven on our community loom from the threads of items of clothing which each group member will bring. Our individual and collective stories will form the tapestry, as we consider our histories and how pain, joy, place, positionality and context play a part in the lives we lead and the deaths we die. As we weave together, conversations will allow space for participants to remember, share experiences and ask questions of each other. The event will invite participants to imagine the future they would like to see. Attendees will be welcomed and will have opportunities to meet and connect with representatives from other local community groups. We hope that this event will encourage conversation and platform the knowledge and strengths that communities possess. We believe if we can bring more people into a creative and imaginative conversation with about death and dying, we can together make change.

Who’s leading the event?

The event will be led by Yasmin Gunaratnam, Professor in Social Justice at King's College London and Toby Kilby-Pollard, Community Artist at Christopher’s Hospice, with support from Malcolm Gill, Croydon Project Facilitator

Open to

Invitation only event for community group members

Of particular interest to

Anyone interested in the experience of living and dying in Croydon. Local stakeholders and organisations who are interested in promoting and encouraging death literacy

Key actors in local community and voluntary organisations who recognise the strengths and knowledge of local people in dealing with death and loss.