Close
Spark Festival: Engaging the community on the site of MyAV范 East
9 September 2015
MyAV范 hosted an engineering-focused festival to showcase MyAV范 East to communities around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (QEOP) over the August bank holiday weekend.
Held on the QEOP site where MyAV范 East will be built, Spark
Festival ran a packed programme of events that aimed to demonstrate the work of
MyAV范's different engineering departments to the four growth boroughs around the
park (Waltham Forest, Hackney Wick, Tower Hamlets and Newham).
Highlights
Activities were aimed at audiences of all ages, with popular highlights including Dat Brass, a New Orleans hip hop brass band formed of MyAV范 students, the Pigeon Sim flight simulator from the MyAV范 Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, a Pit Stop Challenge from Mechanical Engineering's Formula Student Team and the MyAV范 Vox Box - a听physical questionnaire system听that听invites people at听events to share their views and opinions using a range of听physical input controls, such as sliders, dials, buttons, and spinners.
The Engineering Exchange heard from members of community groups on issues they face locally, while kids paddled in the 'weird liquids' pool containing corn starch and water.
The event was coordinated and delivered by staff in MyAV范 Public & Cultural Engagement (MyAV范 PACE). MyAV范 PACE also had a presence at the festival through the MyAV范 Museums' Cabinet of Curiosities, which saw researchers deliver 20 minute talks based on engineering objects to the festival audience.
Spark Festival was funded by the EPSRC.
Philippa Richardson, Festival Coordinator, MyAV范 Public and Cultural Engagement