We have awarded a £9,000 grant to the British Library to support their involvement in the Somers Town Festival in early July 2022. The event, which was free to attend, offered attendees a variety of stalls aimed at engaging the community and expressing the identity of the area including food, arts and crafts, clothes and other local products.
The British Library organised a stage in the piazza providing a platform for musical artists, local community groups and young people from the area, worked with local organisations to offer arts and crafts activities to connect people to local history, and provided a children’s area for families. There were also stalls highlighting the work of the British Library including; experts who can explain the Library’s collections, how to become a Reader at the Library, and how to apply for apprenticeship and early career roles. Our funding also supported the filming of the Festival, which will be used as part of a wider film on the Library’s community engagement work and to promote the Festival in the future.