Dr Toby Athersuch writes of his experiences volunteering at the Medway Fun Palace to share the love of art and science in the community.

On the weekend 1-2 October 2016, community centres, gardens, and public spaces across the UK transformed themselves into some very exciting venues indeed: Fun Palaces! What are these, you ask? In brief: under the tagline “Everyone and Artist, Everyone a Scientist” these events provide a fantastic opportunity to engage with the public, stimulate discussion, learn, and inspire those of all ages to try out new things. Fun Palaces are free and run by volunteers who want to share their love of the arts and sciences.

Dr Toby Athersuch “Painting with pH”

I joined in with the Fun Palace action at the Nucleus Arts Centre in Chatham, Kent -  I was there to run sessions entitled “Colourful Chemistry - Painting with pH”. This demonstration used the trusty red cabbage as a source of a pH indicator solution (for those interested, it is the anthocyanins in the cabbage leaves that change their absorption spectrum according to the pH), and showed how we can use indicators to probe the chemical properties of samples – in this case a range of acidic and basic solutions. The audience were reminded/introduced to the pH scale, and various properties of acids and bases were discussed (e.g. returning the original indicator colour by neutralising solutions). The session also covered the broader implications of understanding pH; acidification of the oceans; ensuring proper brushing of the teeth to prevent tooth decay; making fizzy drinks fizz; understanding why red cabbage – which is actually deep purple – is called, well, red. To cap off the session I showed how it is possible to paint pictures with the colourless solutions (malt vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, lemon juice, etc.) and produce works of art (well, sort of!) using cartridge paper previously soaked in the cabbage indicator solution as a canvas.

I found that children were most interested in the colour changes associated with the various household products we tested together, and in working out the most sensible order to place these along the pH scale. Adults were more interested in the creative possibilities on offer, and one of the resident artists at Nucleus Art Centre expressed an interest in doing some pH painting for real (and was rewarded with a nice big sheet of cabbage indicator paper to try things out on!).

The event was well attended throughout the day, with a constant flow of people around all the exhibits, and participating in the interactive shows. Other highlights were an Occulus Rift, bridge building, a pottery station, and some flashmob singing and dancing!

Thanks to David Stokes of the Medway Science Centre for coordinating the science activities, and to the other Fun Palace organisers for inviting me to take part. It was a really rewarding day, and in I also learned a lot from the other exhibits and shows.

To find out more about Fun Palaces and how to run one, please visit: http://funpalaces.co.uk