Sanctuary Season - Strand 2024/25

‘Sanctuary’ can mean many things to different people and in different contexts, but it most generally conveys a sense of safety, protection and sacredness.

For the 2024/25 academic year, King’s Culture is shaping a season of public-facing activities with colleagues across the university on the theme of Sanctuary. The season will include creative commissions, student activity and a wide range of events aimed at engaging and exploring the theme of sanctuary from different research perspectives.

Culture will work closely with faculties and specialist centres across King’s, including the King’s Sanctuary Programme, and with students and external partners, to develop a high profile and engaging programme that will be presented in spaces across the Strand Campus, including outside in the Strand pedestrianised area.

Researchers from across King’s are invited to join King’s Culture for this session to find out more about the season, explore the theme, and learn how you can get involved.

Please register to attend via our Eventbrite page

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Context

• The season will focus in on ‘Sanctuary’ as a lens through which King’s research can be explored and amplified
• Building on transformative research across King’s, we propose a focused series of creative commissions and events on Strand Campus from October 2024 around the theme of Sanctuary
• The theme will run across the 2024/25 academic year, with exhibitions, events, talks, workshops and digital activity.
• This broad theme will allow King’s to showcase research through a varied and diverse range of ideas, whilst creating a sense of community on campus and across our local stakeholder groups and partner organisations.

 

Objectives

• Engage the public: the season will seek to engage the public, raising awareness of the relevance of King’s research around the themes and topics arising and their impact and benefit to society
• Amplify the One King’s Impact approach: showcase the best and most innovative research projects undertaken by King’s researchers and students
• Foster partnerships and collaboration across faculties: the programme will provide a platform for researchers from different disciplines to interact and collaborate with artists and cultural partners

• Inspire future research: the season should serve as a source of inspiration for aspiring researchers, encouraging them to pursue their academic and research interests further
• Address real-world challenges: Many of the King’s research projects aim to address real-world problems and challenges and the season will showcase various interpretations of the themes around Sanctuary, and the benefits this research has for us all.
• Promote innovation and creativity: the festival and programme will emphasise and celebrate creative research approaches

 

The Theme

The meaning of ’sanctuary’ can vary widely depending on the context, but a few common interpretations include:

• Place of Refuge: Sanctuary can also mean a place of refuge or safety. Historically, churches and other religious institutions have been considered sanctuaries where individuals could seek protection from violence or persecution. In a broader sense, a sanctuary can be any place where people or animals are protected from harm or danger.
• Religious or Sacred Place: A sanctuary can refer to a sacred place, such as a temple, church, mosque, or any other religious building. It is a place that is considered holy and is often used for worship, meditation, or prayer.
• Natural Sanctuary: It can refer to a natural environment that is protected and preserved for its ecological or cultural value. National parks, wildlife reserves, and other conservation areas are often called sanctuaries because they provide a safe haven for diverse plant and animal species.
• Legal Concept: In legal terms, sanctuary can refer to the protection granted by a government or other authority to a person who is facing persecution or danger. This concept has historical roots and has been practiced in various cultures and legal systems.

• Peaceful and Tranquil Place: Sometimes, people refer to their homes or personal spaces as sanctuaries, indicating that these places provide them with a sense of peace, comfort, and security.

Examples of work featured as part of the season might be creative expressions of research - 3D works, 2D projection/visuals, films, installations, exhibits, performances, workshops, talks and panels. Projects/activities should be ready to be presented in the Arcade at Bush House, on the Strand Pedestrianised space and other spaces across Strand campus across the 24/25 academic year.