Life, Death (and the Rest) at Arnos Vale Cemetery
Posted on: 02 Feb 2017Bristol’s beautiful Arnos Vale Cemetery will host a weekend of walks, talks, theatre and film, running from Thursday March 30th until Sunday April 2nd, which culminates in a Sunday showcase with stalls offering practical advice in dealing with death, dying and end-of-life choices.
There is a growing social movement that aims to effectively normalise the only inevitable thing in life and try to help people facing it for themselves or a loved one through help, support and advice. Life, Death (and the Rest) will aim to provide people with the tools needed to cope in their own ways.
The event kicks off with ‘Outside the Box’, a one woman show by Liz Rothschild. Funny, wise and taboo-busting, Liz confronts the ‘elephant in the room’ with grace and humour, asking the audience to embrace mortality and look on the bright side of life, with a weave of untold and surprising stories, a hint of history and some pithy commentary from the funeral industry.
On the Friday night there is the opportunity to gather with fellow Harold and Maude fans and listen to ‘When Harold Met Maude’, a talk by Lucy Coleman Talbot, author of the Little Book of Maudism, before watching the film in the atmospheric Anglican Chapel.
Vera of Floriography will be on hand throughout the weekend to offer the opportunity for visitors to make a Magical Circle of Life wreath, with a Memory Box workshop for children. You can also watch ‘Questioning the Dead’, a film based on the installation by internationally acclaimed artist, Marcus Coates.
The event culminates on Sunday, April 2nd with a showcase of exhibitors throughout the site including And Vinyly, a record company that turns your loved ones ashes into a record, Brahms Electric Hearses and cremation jewellery by Tree of Opals.
Arnos Vale Chief Executive Mike Coe said, “There is a fantastic and committed audience out there for work that explores death, tapping into the death cafe culture and collectives. Confronting and embracing the only certainty in life is proving very popular at present with many new festivals and events being created all over the country and already started in Bristol with the Museum Death Fair”
Public Engagement Manager Janine Marriott added, “Arnos Vale Cemetery is an inspiring location to hold events and we are proud to provide a platform to encourage visitors to explore and talk about all the elements of death and dying”
There is also a series of walks including the ever popular After Hours Tours, revealing the darker side of Arnos Vale at dusk, in an atmospheric exploration of tragic tales, folk customs and funeral etiquette of Victorian society.
.jpg "Arnos Vale Cemetery")
Now looked after by the Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust, Arnos Vale Cemetery in Bristol is a truly unique location and is one of the city's best-kept secrets. 45 acres of peace and tranquility offer the perfect respite from the general hustle and bustle of the city, and the site is significant as being a place of heritage that features many monuments of local and global importance as well as historic listed buildings.
For further info on this and all of the Arnos Vales events, visit their webpage - arnosvale.org.uk. Keep up to date via their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter.
Address: Arnos Vale Cemetery Trust, West Lodge, Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bath Road, Bristol, BS4 3EW.
Article by:
Born and raised in the suburbs of Swansea, Jimmy moved to Bristol back in 2004 to attend university. Passionate about live music, sport, science and nature, he can usually be found walking his cocker spaniel Baxter at any number of green spots around the city. Call James on 078 9999 3534 or email Editor@365Bristol.com.
