Last October, the Good Grief Festival ran for the first time, providing a space for people to come together and have conversations about grief and bereavement, love and loss. Following the success of the festival, which attracted attendees from around the world, the free festival will be returning on the 27th and 28th of March, exploring themes of ‘hope’ and ‘meaning.’
We strongly believe that it is vitally important to provide a space where people can talk, think and learn about grief
The programme for the festival promises a variety of talks, interviews, spoken word and comedy. Michael Rosen, acclaimed children’s author and poet, will be joining grief expert Julia Samuels MBE, as they discuss topics such as love, loss and creativity. Guvna B, award-winning rapper and author will be discussing his own experiences with mental health, whilst also exploring the issues around toxic masculinity. Alongside the live discussions, there are also over 60 hours of on demand content in The Grief School. Available over the weekend of the festival, The Grief School is a space where honest conversations are held around specific types of grief, facilitated both by experts in grief and by people who are experts through experience.
On the 23rd of March, the Good Grief Festival will also be marking the National Day of Reflection. Supported by Marie Curie, there will be six free events including BBC6 Music’s Gideon Coe exploring the healing power of music and ‘Finding Hope & Meaning Beyond Covid’, as creators and thinkers look towards a better future.
The Good Grief Festival is such an important space. It is a safe space where people can discuss topics which are often avoided or stifled, exploring love and loss in creative ways. This is especially vital given the past year. ‘At a time when the UK is mourning over 100,000 lives lost to Covid-19, we strongly believe that it is vitally important to provide a space where people can talk, think and learn about grief’, reflects Aisling Mustang, Programme Coordinator of the Good Grief Festival. ‘We hope that events like Good Grief can offer some support and healing during the process, especially during these challenging times’
The festival is free to attend over the weekend and is a collaborative event led by the University of Bristol and supported by Marie Curie and the National Lottery Community Fund. To find out more and to register, please click here.