Let's Talk About Death
Workshop Discovery Day
As noted in the Institute for Policy Research brief Death, Dying & Devolution, “Avoiding death leaves us vulnerable and unprepared, which can adversely affect our mental health.” With support from an Arts Council grant, Luna Arts is launching a year-long research and development programme to develop workshops that use creative activities to challenge avoidance, encourage dialogue, and promote a more thoughtful approach to mortality.
Throughout this workshop day, and the residency, Luna Arts will be collaborating with academics in death studies, funeral industry professionals, and creatives exploring death-related themes (see list below).
The event has been devised by Wendy and Dagmara as an opportunity to refine their ideas and gather feedback from participants, with a view to developing future collaborations, including support for hospice outreach programmes.
If you would like to take part... the workshops activities will take place across three sessions:
Morning: 9.45am -1pm (doors open 9.30am) Book tickets here
Afternoon: 1.45-5pm (doors open at 1.30pm) Book tickets here
Evening: 5.45-8.30pm (doors open at 5.30pm) Book tickets here
Each session will offer 3-4 creative activities designed to explore your relationship with death, dying, and remembrance. Topics will include remembrance and legacy, living wakes, end-of-life planning, grave goods, and shrouds as alternatives to coffins.
Participants are also welcome to book multiple sessions, as each session will feature a different selection of activities. Booking more that one session therefore offers a deeper and more varied experience.
Tea, coffee, and biscuits will be available throughout the day, along with breakout spaces for reflection and conversation.
As you might expect, we’ll be talking about death during this day - a lot! This can bring up big feelings, and that’s completely okay. However, please remember to care for yourself in whatever way feels right. Participate at the level that feels best for you, you know yourself best, so be kind to your heart as we navigate these conversations together.
WORKSHOP TEAM
Luna Arts: Dagmara Rudkin & Wendy Pye
Soul Films: Sybil Almayne & Wendy Pye
https://www.flexiblefilms.co.uk/soul-films
Sacred Wings Burial Shrouds: Dagmara Rudkin
Naomi Foyle: Writer & Theatre Artist
Dr Jennifer Riley: Research Fellow - Grave Goods
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/people/jennifer.riley
Gitte Monis - Humanist Funeral Celebrant
https://ceremoniesbygitte.com/funerals
Jess May - Living Funeral Specialist
https://www.brighton-funerals.com/
About The Artist
Luna Arts, founded by Wendy Pye and Dagmara Rudkin, explores death, dying, and remembrance through creative practices. Wendy’s work stems from 17 years of research, including Death Doula training and filmmaking with Soul Films, producing memorial short films linked to public plaques via QR codes. Dagmara’s fine art focuses on burial rituals, crafting sustainable shrouds and leading workshops that encourage reflection on mortality. Both lecture in their fields and, supported by networks like the Brighton/Hove Health & Arts Wellbeing Network and Arts Council funding, they aim to break taboos around death through collaborative, therapeutic arts initiatives.
Artist Residencies
Fabrica's March Making Space residency has been awarded to Luna Arts. During their residency, artists Wendy Pye and Dagmara Rudkin will explore and develop ideas on how workshops and public events can use creative expression to ease anxieties and spark meaningful conversations about death, dying, and remembrance.
Each session is £5
Participants are asked to commit to at least one full session (3 hours)
During a session you can take part in one or two workshops during each session (each session will offer 3-4 activities to choose from)
Fabrica
40 Duke Street, Brighton
BN1 1AG
“This workshop day will provide us with a rare opportunity to gather valuable feedback from participants, enabling us to refine our ideas and develop future collaborations, including support activities for hospice outreach programmes.”
