The festival has been founded by Culture24, the organisation behind biannual event Museums at Night, and has been accredited as a Big Issue Festival For Good by the poverty-tackling publication.
With just one ticket, festival-goes can access events taking place at over 40 venues – from the Natural History Museum to the Old Operating Theatre. We round up five highlights to catch in the inaugural Emerge festival…
Ady Suleiman and Poppy Ajudha
WHEN: 27 September, 8:30PM – 9:25PM
WHERE: The Bandstand at the Horniman Museum
Neo-soul star Ady Suleiman has garnered a number of influential fans, from Chance the Rapper and Labrinth, to Michael Kiwanuka and Laura Mvula. The singer was also previously named ‘Breakthrough Act of the Year’ at Gilles Peterson's Worldwide Awards. Suleiman is performing at the Horniman Museum’s bandstand as part of Emerge, supported by south London jazz and soul artist Poppy Ajudha. She, too, is one to watch, with Barack Obama among her musical fan base.
Bryony Gordon at Mind and Body Late
WHEN: 27 September, 7:30PM – 8:30PM
WHERE: Dulwich Picture Gallery
Bryony Gordon is a champion for mental health awareness. What's more, the journalist and author of best-sellers Mad Girl, The Wrong Knickers and Eat, Drink, Run knows how to get others to open up about it too, having interviewed the likes of HRH Prince Harry, Frank Bruno and Fearne Cotton about their own mental wellbeing on her podcast Mad World.
Gordon is headlining Emerge festival’s Mind and Body night at Dulwich Picture Gallery, an evening dedicated to celebrating mental health awareness and body positivity. Expect life drawing classes, mindfulness workshops and a chance to hear from Gordon in a Q&A.
Lost in the Museum: Lost Lectures
WHEN: 28 September, 7PM – 9:30PM
WHERE: Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum has teamed up with Lost Lectures to create Lost in the Museum, a lucky dip lecture featuring a range of talks on everything from human communication to debunking the dodo. Hear from female beatboxer Bellatrix, who is taking audiences on a sonic adventure through time as she discusses the anatomy of noise. Also on the line-up is comedian and writer Helen Arney, who is taking on evolution itself, turning it into 15 minutes of alcohol-fuelled, site-specific theatre, set among the Natural History Museum’s Spirit Collection. While you’re there, don’t miss the chance to see Luke Jerram's impressive Museum of the Moon installation. The night concludes with drinks, dancing and DJ sets under Hope the whale.
Wilfrid Wood’s Make Your Own Cartoon
WHEN: 27 September, 5PM – 9PM
WHERE: Cartoon Museum
Wilfrid Wood is something of a satirical sculpting prodigy, known for making plasticine figurines of powerful people including Mark Zuckerberg and President Putin. Wood’s style takes inspiration both from the British animators of the 80s and 90s, and artists including Jeff Koons and David Shrigley. At Emerge, festival-goers can pull up their sleeves and make their own comic models, under Wood’s skilled guidance.
Vagina Museum special
WHEN: 28 September, 6PM – 10PM
WHERE: Jewish Museum
Florence Schechter, the woman behind the world’s only vagina museum, is teaming up with the Jewish Museum to present a night dedicated to vaginas, vulvas and the gynaecological anatomy. Expect a range of workshops, pop-up exhibitions and curator talks, all pondering the female body in Jewish culture and beyond. If you like what you learn, you can donate to Schechter’s ongoing crowdfunding campaign to see the Vagina Museum into its first bricks and mortar home in Camden Market.
| What | Emerge festival, London |
| When |
27 Sep 19 – 28 Sep 19, Times vary for specific events |
| Price | £15 - £40 |
| Website | Click here for more information and to book |
