A NEW festival is being launched which will encourage conversations around death and bereavement.
Good Grief Weston will offer 30 events spanning eight days, starting from Monday, May 1.
These workshops will take place across more than 20 venues.
It is hoped that the festival, produced by Culture Weston in association with the University of Bristol and the newly established Weston-super-Mare Community Network, will help people open up about their grief and share their thoughts and experiences to others who are going through the same thing.
The festival will open with 'Grief Moves' by Fandangoe Kid and the Loss Project, which asks you to bring a song that reminds you of a loved one to dance to on the High Street.
Another highlight is held in Weston Museum, called In Conversation with Michael Rosen.
Attendees will be able to listen to one of Britain's most loved writers and poets speak about life, loss and literature.
Live music will embrace classical and contemporary tastes with specially curated evenings from St George’s Bristol and Mercury Prize nominee Kathryn Williams.
The festival also offers workshops featuring yoga and crafts, as well as a community arts project to create a field of forget-me-nots.
The festival will end in Grove Park on Monday, May 8, with the aerial show ‘The Guy in the Luggage Rack’, a family friendly comedy about grief, memory and relationships.
A memorable introduction to the finale is guaranteed courtesy of renowned ‘punk undertaker’ Rupert Callender.
Fiona Matthews, creative director at Culture Weston, said: “Good Grief Weston offers multiple creative opportunities for people to connect, talk and discover new support systems where they live.
"We know love and loss can be hard to talk about, and we hope the range of experiences and perspectives presented by artists and organisations from near and far will offer different touchstones for people."
Dr Lucy Selman, who started the original Good Grief Festival in 2020, added: “I am proud to live in Weston, and delighted to bring this unique festival to the area to open up conversations around the end of life and bereavement, bring people together and start to build a legacy for the community."
For more information about the event and how you can get involved, visit the Culture Weston website.
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