Past Exhibitions

Creative Voices, Activist Voices: Sensory Stories of Creative Communities

Saturday 13 September – Saturday 4 October 2025

Creative Voices, Activist Voices includes stories, photographs, and objects shared by participants and items ranging from a cookbook to bubble-making activities, bringing to life the experiences of Fun Palaces Makers from across the UK.

Fun Palaces is a campaign that seeks to put culture at the heart of communities and communities at the heart of culture. On the first weekend of October every year people across the country make Fun Palaces sharing their skills, passions and interests with others. By doing so they put their town, village, city or street on the Fun Palaces map and declare ‘Culture happens here!’

This exhibition presents findings from a research project and exhibition tour funded by the Collaborate Fund (Centre for Cultural Value) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), jointly led by Fun Palaces and sociologist Dr Katy Pilcher

from Aston University. Together they addressed the question:
To what extent can finding your creative voice unlock your wider
civic activist voice and what might be the potential barriers or social

inequalities preventing this from happening?

The project highlights how communities come together across social divides to share knowledge, create cultural value and unlock wider civic activism.

Exhibition workshop- Saturday 4 th October (1pm-4pm)

Placard Making, a fun and creative drop-in activity for all the family
What social justice issues are you passionate about? Is this something local to you or an issue that came up in the exhibition? Contribute to a sharing of creative protest messages.

Remembering loved ones
A person who dies by suicide is not defined by that death. They lived a unique life that touched all the people who loved and cared for them. The beautiful memorial pages on our site celebrate those lives – a place for families and friends to express their love and care through the images, words and video of lives shared.

The squares in this quilt, and the accompanying texts have been made by people, in dedication to loved ones lost to suicide.
Each square tells a story of a person, their interests and hobbies and their connection to their family and friends.

They are bright and colourful and full of meaning. Please take some time to read about the quilt squares and the people they represent.

Additional banners created in the community for World Suicide Prevention week can also be seen displayed and materials signposting to help are available.

Bullshit Blanket

24th March – 4th April

A collection of poems, photography, objects & alternative primary school songs exploring post covid comedown, addiction, mental health, working class culture, queerness & lies.

Five years on from the first lockdown we invite you to experience our version. The collaborative comradery of Ben Pearson & friends.

Any proceeds will be donated to The Bureau Centre for the Arts & Nightsafe.

Archive Exhibition to celebrate TEN years of The Bureau!

24th April- 17th May

Join us for an Archive Exhibition of posters and flyers from the last TEN years and see how many wonderful event and activities we have hosted. This is part of our TEN year anniversary celebrations.

The Chip In exhibition up in The Atrium at our new home on Exchange Street, April 2024

What’s Your Issue? 2022

Inspired by Art – 2022

Inspired By Art Exhibition at our old gallery space in Daniels