Connect Imperial research with the public at annual science and art celebration

The Great Exhibition Road Festival returns next year for a celebration of how science and the arts help people, communities, and nature flourish.

Be part of something amazing  

This year’s Great Exhibition Road Festival was the largest since its inception in 2019 – drawing an estimated 50,000-55,000 visitors to South Kensington to enjoy a diverse programme of creative workshops, live experiments, innovative hands-on demonstrations, and artistic performances. 
 
We want next year’s Festival (taking place on 15-16 June 2024) to be even greater and need ideas from across Imperial College London to create a weekend that will delight visitors, provoke conversation, and inspire younger generations.  

Alongside events and activities offered by the other world-leading organisations in South Kensington – including the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, V&A and Royal Albert Hall – the Festival offers staff and students from Imperial College London the chance to share their incredible research with the public.  

“I loved the interactions with researchers and students... talking to people at the cutting edge!” - 2023 Great Exhibition Road Festival attendee 

Thanks to the hard work of the hundreds of Imperial staff and students who contributed to the 2023 Festival, we received incredibly positive responses from visitors. Some headline results from the public evaluation included: 

• 89% of Festival visitors rated the Great Exhibition Road Festival as good or excellent 
• 86% rated the quality of interactions with workshop leads and festival exhibitors as good or excellent 
• 87% of visitors agreed that the Festival felt like something special  
• 88% stated they would come to the Festival again and 89% would recommend the Festival to a friend 

Help our Festival flourish  

The upcoming Festival will celebrate how science and the arts help people, communities, and nature to flourish – from the personal enrichment found through scientific pursuits to supporting a thriving planet and more sustainable living, while also exploring how science has and will continue to flourish by engaging with people of all backgrounds to lead us into the future.  

Lara Mistry, Deputy Head of Public Engagement (Public Programmes) and Festival Manager said: “Every year the Imperial community amaze us with their creative contributions to the Great Exhibition Road Festival, helping us create an unforgettable weekend for visitors of all ages. We can’t wait to work with you on new workshops, exhibits, shows and talks that will bring the public closer to the innovative and exciting work happening at Imperial College London.”

Make sure to submit your ideas for getting involved by the application deadline of Sunday 5 November 2022.  

Helping you get involved  

"We can’t wait to work with you on new workshops, exhibits, shows and talks that will bring the public closer to the innovative and exciting work happening at Imperial College London." Lara Mistry Deputy Head of Public Engagement and Festival Manager

Want to understand more about the proposals process and what’s involved in doing an interactive exhibit, workshop or talk at the Great Exhibition Road festival?  
 
Read our Festival Proposal Guidance Document, which outlines the aims of the Great Exhibition Road Festival, the audiences that we want to attract, the experience we want to give them (and yourselves as potential exhibitors) and what support will be available before and during the Festival weekend.  

Additionally, if you want to take part in next year’s Festival but aren't sure if your ideas will work or how to make them happen, you can register for one of our two ideas planning sessions (online on 19 October and in-person on 24 October) with the Festival organising team.  
 
Find out more about getting involved in the Festival and training opportunities >