Out there! Art in the public realm, Powered by PechaKucha

Talk

Wednesday 17 July 2024
18:30 - 20:30

Following the launch of our latest publication ‘Public London: Activating the City’, this PechaKucha showcases exemplar projects which engage the public realm through arts and culture.

Join us for an evening of thought-provoking PechaKucha talks, following the launch of our latest publication 'Public London: Activating the City', where speakers will share their recent projects that aspire to bring communities together through a series of public art commissions.

Public London celebrates various projects across the city which have effectively activated the public realm by transforming streets into vibrant spaces. These initiatives showcase artistic diversity and cultural activation, bringing joy to local squares and open areas.

As we reflect on some of these recent initiatives, the presentations will delve into topics regarding the impact of different forms of public art, its transient nature and how can we ensure the public realm stays as a space of creativity. This event offers a fresh perspective on the intersection of art, community, and urban development. As we rethink the public realm through the lens of the arts, we'll explore how public art serves as a catalyst for connection, well-being, and social change.

The format, PechaKucha (ペチャクチャ), was devised in Tokyo in 2003 by the English architect Mark Dytham and has turned into a massive global celebration of design, with events happening in hundreds of cities around the world. Drawing its name from the Japanese term for the sound of "chit chat", it rests on a presentation format that is based on a simple idea: 20 images x 20 seconds. The format makes presentations concise, keeps things moving at a rapid pace and holds its audience.

Download speaker presentations

Adrienne-Lau---Edgy-Collective.pdf
Lucia-Masundire---GLA.pdf
Mark-Williams---HOLBA.pdf
Naomi-Shewa---BDP.pdf

Programme

19:00
Welcome from Chair

Eliza Grosvenor, Head of Programme, London Festival of Architecture, NLA

19:05
Art After Dark in the West End

Mark Williams, Deputy Chief Executive, HOLBA

19:12
Catching Colour at London City Island
Megan Piper, Co-founder and Director, The Line

19:19
Gallery Without Walls: Cultural Strategies and Public Art across London

George Kekatos, Senior Cultural Strategist, Futurecity

19:26
Sculpture in the City

Stella Ioannou, Director, Lacuna

19:33
Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm

Lucia Masundire, Principal Policy Officer, GLA

19:40
Senate House Steps

Naomi Shewa, Architect, BDP

19:47
Let's Meet on the Edge
Adrienne Lau, Co-founder and Design Director, Edgy Collective,

19:54
Networking

20:30
End

Speaker biographies

Mark Williams

Deputy Chief Executive, Heart of London Business Alliance

Eliza Grosvenor

Head of Programme, London Festival of Architecture, NLA

Stella Ioannou

Director, Lacuna

Naomi Shewa

Architect, BDP

George Kekatos

Senior Cultural Strategist, Futurecity

Adrienne Lau

Co-founder and Design Director, Edgy Collective

Venue

The London Centre
3 Aldermanbury
London
EC2V 7HH

Accessibility

There are 4 steps to the main entrance, with a level access entrance via the Guildhall West Wing approximately 200 feet away. There are toilets and accessible toilets via stairs or a lift to the lower ground floor. If you would like more information, or have any access requirements, please let us know what these are and how we can best accommodate these by emailing events@nla.london.