Death Festival

‘Bookending the lives of every single one of us, birth and death are the core elements of the human condition and something that unites us all. Yet, whilst births are commonly celebrated, we remain reluctant to face up to death and dying’.

Conceived by Jude Kelly CBE, founder of the WOW - Women of the World Festival and the international charity, The WOW Foundation, the Death Festival encourages us to consider death and dying through two days of talks, concerts, performances, workshops and installations. Contributors shared their different perspectives on death. Including an installation of portrait photography by world-renowned photographer Rankin.

Programmed in collaboration with the writer and activist, Catherine Mayer, theatre director, Michael Attenborough and artist and social innovator, Louise Harman (Louise on Death).

We created the Death Festival branding to present the festival in a considered, accessible and respectful way, but with a sense of celebration to encompass the variety of subjects that would be discussed and confronted during the event. It was important to take an inclusive and sensitive approach and therefore not to make reference to any specific religion, culture, gender or age. The D and F of ‘Death Festival' come together to create a skull as a universal representation of death. The design and colour palette of the branding represents the energy and more celebratory content conveying the festival spirit.

Images © Jo Fairley, Rii Schroer & Hydar Dewachi