Fun Palaces 2025 workshop set to take place in Glasgow

Fun Palaces 2025, a UK-wide campaign promoting community-led creativity, will take place from October 3 to 5 and is calling on museums, libraries, theatres, creative groups, and individuals to take part by hosting events large or small.

Since it began in 2013, Fun Palaces has attracted more than 880,000 participants and has become a movement celebrating creativity through hands-on activities in public spaces.

In 2024, more than 1,800 organisers delivered over 140 events, reaching an audience of more than 60,000 people.

Former World Champion Dancer Raymond Root leads a dance class at Shoreditch Town Hall Fun Palace 2024 (Image: Sean Pollock)

Lego Screen Printing Fun Palace at Kresen Kernow, Cornwall 2024 (Image: Neal Megaw) 

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This year, Fun Palaces is offering an in-person workshop at the Pyramid at Anderston SCI in Glasgow on July 7 designed to spark inspiration with potential community organisers.

There will also be a series of free online webinars running from July to September covering everything from event planning and promotion to risk assessment and safeguarding, with guest speakers from previous Fun Palaces sharing their experiences.

Nate Ferguson leads digital illustration workshops at Ware's the Fun Palace 2024, Hertfordshire (Image: Roswitha Chesher)Marusia Makhmutova leads a collage workshop at art'otel London Hoxton Fun Palace 2024 (Image: Sean Pollock) Amie Taylor, director of Fun Palaces, said: "Fun Palaces is a national campaign powered by local passion, it’s about celebrating creativity in every community.

"Signing up to make a Fun Palace, whether it’s big and buzzing or tiny and tucked away, means organisations can be part of a shared weekend of joy, connection, and culture across the UK and beyond."

This year introduces Tiny Fun Palaces, designed to support smaller, more personal gatherings alongside larger public events.

Amie said: "The introduction of Tiny Fun Palaces is just one of the new features we’ve set up to expand the ways people can take part.

"Offering more options for those who prefer smaller gatherings, need to stay closer to home, or simply want a different kind of experience."

Fun Palaces can take many forms, from stage combat in a library to DIY hovercrafts at an arts centre, crafts in a town hall, or historical re-enactments at a society.

The campaign aims to provide communities with an opportunity to express local talent and curiosity.

Zab Iftikhar, who organises Fun Palaces at Lancashire Archives, said: “We’ve been a daunting building for many years and we just wanted to open our doors to the local community and get them to see what we have to offer.

"It’s put us on the map.”

Yoga workshop with Eve Seymour at Art and Community Showcase at Westminster Reference Library 2024 (Image: Roswitha Chesher)

Music at Tavistock Library Fun Palace Devon 2024 (Image: Supplied)

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Stuart Cox, chief executive of Hoxton Hall who organised a Fun Palace in 2024, said: "What I love about Fun Palaces is that anything goes – whether it's a small gathering for a poetry sharing session or something bigger, like yarn bombing the outside of a Royal Museum.

"There's no pressure to make it grand or perfect; simply making it happen is a success.

"If your organisation is thinking about creating a Fun Palace, don’t hold back.

"However small the event, it matters – be part of something brilliant."

Event registration is open until and throughout the Fun Palaces weekend, giving both new and returning organisers plenty of time to get involved.