Afterlives Art Festival
Free, Fun and open to absolutely Everyone!
About The Festival
Afterlives Arts Festival is a free, family-friendly arts festival coming to Newcastle, Exeter and Redbridge Libraries in May and June 2026, supported by the Arts Council England.
Brought to life by a nationwide collaboration of artists, academics and community partners, Afterlives transforms your local library into a vibrant creative hub where art, storytelling and community come together to make conversations about death feel natural, joyful and deeply human. The exciting Afterlives programme varies from region to region, and the activities offered will be different at each library.
In Redbridge, across 4-7 June, people will have the chance to explore some of life’s biggest questions through workshops, stunning installations, live performances, films and virtual reality — all free, low-cost, and open to everyone!
Afterlives Festival will take place at:
Wanstead Library (4 June – 6.30pm-10pm)
Redbridge Central Library (6 June – 11am-5pm; 7 June – 11am-5pm)
Come and explore life’s biggest questions through art, creativity and community with no prior experience necessary.
Try a hands-on craft workshop, wander through a stunning art installation made by people just like you, watch a film, experience virtual reality, discover eco-friendly ways to be remembered, or simply sit, reflect and connect with your neighbours over a shared meal. There’s something for all ages, from creative activities for curious kids to thought-provoking evening events for adults.
The Death Positive Library
Afterlives is the culmination of nearly a decade of pioneering work. In 2017, Redbridge Library Service became the UK’s first Death Positive Library using books, art, and film events to help locals engage openly with death and dying as a health and community issue.
Newcastle City Library joined the collaboration in 2019, extending this ground-breaking model from east London to the north east. Together the two services have won national awards for social innovation, health and wellbeing, and digital engagement via our co-designed Tickets for the Afterlife project. They inspired libraries across the UK and Northern Ireland to follow their lead, and reached hundreds of thousands of people with creative, compassionate programming around end-of-life choices.
The Death Positive Library movement is rooted in a simple but powerful belief: that libraries, as trusted, independent and open public spaces are uniquely placed to hold these conversations, free from commercial interest, and open to all regardless of background, belief or experience.
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