The Midlands Science Festival takes place again this November with a wide range of free public events for all age groups.
A number of events are already booking up fast but there’s something for everyone to consider this year. All details can be found on www.midlandsscience.ie under Science Week Events and whilst events are free, they must be booked in advance.
The Midlands Science Festival is supported by Science Foundation Ireland as part of national Science Week. Taking place from November 12-19, the theme for Science Week 2023 is ‘Human?’, which asks people to consider what it means to be human in today’s world, and how the decisions we make today will impact the people and world of the future.
For Midlands Science this year the focus on being human is providing a great opportunity to explore human creativity and workshops include hands on sustainable living workshops making soap and shampoos with Aoife Munn, making cyanotypes [an early form of photography] with artist Veronica Nicholson, drawing with Lesley Wingfield and a writing workshop with award winning author Niamh Boyce.
“This year we are exploring what it means to be human, this theme is a great way to explore science with creativity and we are encouraging everyone to pick up a sketching pad, make a print or write a poem as we explore what it means to be human, We are delighted to have some brilliant artists as Lesley Wingfield, Niamh Boyce and Veronica Nicholson providing workshops as part of Science Week in the Midlands this year and we are grateful to the Westmeath, Laois and Offaly library services for hosting these activities as part of their own STEAM programming work in the community,” Jackie Gorman, CEO of Midlands Science, commented.
Sustainable living workshops with Aoife Munn will allow participants to make soap and shampoo by hand which they can bring home. The ‘Cyanotypes’ workshops with Veronica Nicholson will see participants making a print of an item of their choice in this workshop, which explores an early form of photography which used UV light.
Those taking part in the ‘Drawing Science, Drawing Humans’ workshop with artist Lesley Wingfield will learn about the science behind the artistic skill of drawing people. Writing workshop participants will write using prompts with Niamh Boyce, everything from a coyote skull to a storm glass will provide inspiration and participants will have their edited work included in a short publication to be published by Midlands Science later this year.
All details can be found on www.midlandsscience.ie and everyone is encouraged to explore science, creativity and being human this November.
