Afterlives Festival 2026

In Victorian times, people placed beautiful glass domes on graves, filled with precious objects, symbols and treasures to honour those they had lost. Now that tradition is coming back to life and we want you to be part of it.

Newcastle-based Moving Parts Arts has worked with local artists in Newcastle, London and Exeter to create three stunning new artworks inspired by this forgotten custom. These aren't just artworks to look at, they belong to you. Join one of our free community workshops to contribute your own icons, symbols and treasured objects to each piece, making every Immortelle a living portrait of its community.

What happens after we die? Have you ever wondered what different people around the world believe? Come and find out and make something amazing while you're at it!

Drop in and get creative as we explore afterlife ideas from different cultures and times throughout history, making your very own afterlife objects to take home. Feeling lucky, have a go on our claw grab machine and let fate pick YOUR afterlife. What will you get?

What if your final resting place could help bring the ocean back to life? Resting Reef creates living memorial reefs from cremated ashes, supporting marine biodiversity and giving loved ones a lasting, beautiful legacy beneath the waves.

Visit our exhibition display to explore and handle miniature reef models, learn about how memorial reefs work, and take a quiet moment to think about planning ahead. Share your ideas about future reef locations and imagine how these extraordinary memorial ecosystems might grow over time.

What if we had a shared visual language for death, grief and dying — a set of symbols that could say the things words sometimes can't?

Symbols of Death is a thought-provoking exhibition by MOTH Design for Life & Death, a creative initiative exploring how graphic design can help us navigate end-of-life experiences. Beautiful vinyl artworks will adorn the library windows throughout the festival, and visitors to Exeter Library can also join a free hands-on workshop to explore the project further.

Get ready for a show unlike anything you've seen before. Naomi Westerman — bestselling author, playwright and death acceptance activist — performs her award-winning interactive stage show.

This play takes audiences on a funny, surprising and deeply human journey through our collective fascination with death, true crime and the power of grieving together. Her book Happy Death Club was a bestseller across the UK, USA and Canada, and now she's bringing it live to your library.

Grab a seat for a specially curated film screening with a lively discussion about the things we don't always talk about: death, dying and what it all means.

Expect a brilliant film, fascinating conversation and fresh perspectives from people working across healthcare, funeral services, public services and the arts. The Dead Good Film Club has been sparking exactly these kinds of honest, entertaining and eye-opening conversations for years and we're bringing it to your library.

When words aren't enough, how do you express what you're feeling inside? Soul Paint is a multi-award winning virtual reality experience that invites you to explore your own emotions in a way you've never tried before. Narrated by actress Rosario Dawson and backed by behavioural scientists and researchers, it asks you one simple but profound question: "Where are you feeling?"

Put on a headset and step into another world, painting directly onto a virtual body to bring your inner world to life. Whether you're carrying grief, curiosity or simply an open mind, Soul Paint offers a rare and beautiful space to explore feelings that are often hard to put into words.

Ever wanted to ask a funeral director a question but never quite found the right moment? Now's your chance. Join our friendly local Co-op Funeralcare team to explore the different options for burial and cremation — from traditional services to wicker coffins, eco-burials and natural alternatives. Share your thoughts and wishes by drawing on our cardboard coffins, browse hands-on displays of different burial options and death rituals, and ask our team anything you've ever wanted to know. No question is too big, too small or too unusual.

What do food, memory and the people we've lost have in common? More than you might think. A Seat at the Table is a warm, relaxed lunch that brings people together around good food and gentle conversation, exploring themes of death, memory and belonging. Expect a simple shared meal, a little creativity and the kind of honest, meaningful chat that rarely happens anywhere else.

Join us for a reading of The Midnight Moth, a beautiful new picture book that gently explores the natural cycle of life and death. Afterwards, children and their families are invited to take part in a gentle, creative workshop designing a simple, nature-based memorial ceremony for the Midnight Moth. Thoughtful, tender and lots of fun, this one is perfect for curious young minds and the grown-ups who love them.

Step close and peer inside. Black Cat is an intimate miniature puppet theatre performance by an international company of six artists, exploring that extraordinary moment between life and death — the last breath, the final heartbeat and what lies just beyond. Inspired by Teatro Lambe Lambe, a tradition of tiny, whispered theatre that originated in Brazil, this is a quietly magical experience you won't forget.

For thousands of years, simple cloth shrouds have been used to wrap our loved ones with care, dignity and love. As more people seek personal and gentle farewells, this quiet tradition is making a gentle comeback.

In this hands-on workshop you'll explore how textiles can hold memory and meaning through conversation, drawing, cutting and stitching. During this workshop you will reflect on grief, remembrance and how the act of making something with your hands can help us approach death and loss with tenderness. All materials provided. No sewing experience needed whatsoever.