‘Fun Palaces’ pop up in Lancashire for national celebration of culture
Hundreds of ‘Fun Palaces’ will take place in towns and cities across the UK, from 4-6 October as the international movement marks its 10th anniversary. The annual celebration of culture sees local communities across Lancashire come together to create free cultural experiences and activities.
Credit: Jamie-Lee Buttershaw
From libraries to halls, twelfth century castles to National Trust properties; Fun Palaces will take place in the heart of local neighbourhoods throughout the region. From fire engine visits in Oswaldtwistle to learning the history of fingerpainting in Longridge; friendship bracelet-making in Ingol to sword fighting in Preston city centre; ancestry workshops in Rawtenstall to children’s coding in Leyland, and the chance to get hands on gardening experience in Kirkham. With dozens more events uploaded daily, the annual weekend of diverse and unusual events, devised and created entirely by the public, will be a showcase of cultural expression and a celebration of the joy of creating.
Chuck Whitehead, Lancaster Fun Palace Maker 2024 said: “I joined the Lancaster Fun Palace during 2020, when we hosted a set of online activities during Covid: talks, discussions, participative sessions and self-managed activities like making Hallowe’en decorations or growing crystals.
“I value being part of a friendly and can-do group where we meet many other people too on the day – any boundaries between participant and facilitator get completely blurred and everyone is there because they want to.”
Emma Rucastle, Lancaster Fun Palace Maker 2024 said: “I have been a Fun Palace Maker since the very start of the campaign over a decade ago, and Fun Palaces still inspires me. Since the beginning, one of Lancaster Fun Palace’s guiding principles has been to say yes to whatever people want to offer/lead in terms of activity and then to work out, with them, how to make it happen; this always leads to a hugely varied and vibrant event.
“It’s wonderful to see culture of absolutely all kinds pop up and, over the years, a huge range of activities have taken place in these places and others, including online. I can’t wait to see what new memories are made at Lancaster Fun Palace 2024 and I always love seeing what everyone else is doing around the country – world! Over a decade ago, I felt that Fun Palaces were what we need in the world; in 2024 I feel it more strongly than ever.”
Fun Palaces Director, Amie Taylor, says: “Over the last ten years, more than 45,000 people have organised around 2,600 fantastic events across the UK attended by over 850,000 people. It’s that exciting time of year, where Fun Palaces pop up on the map all over to the UK. I was one of those people, having made Fun Palaces myself in previous years. It’s a moment for people to come together, and shout about the brilliance of their community and local area, creating free access to cultural participation, where people can connect, discover new and interesting creative opportunities and enjoy doing it all together – it’s a moment to say ‘culture belongs to all of us’. Each ‘Fun Palace’ is community led event that showcases the brilliance of those living in each local area and we’ve found that people are keen to share their skills, whether that’s junk modelling, dancing, sharing recipes or languages, DIY, singing or something else, all in the name of building community.”
Many Fun Palace venues work in partnership and collaborate with neighbouring organisations such as the National Trust, National Football Museum, Lytham St Anne’s Art Society, Lancashire Adult Learning, Lancashire Music Service, Preston Flock Dance Club, Lancashire Outdoor Education, Burnley Youth Theatre, Lancashire Fire Rescue, Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society each offering a chance for local people to benefit from the facilities and expertise at these larger scale organisations.
- Fun Palaces are being regularly uploaded and a live list can be found here