The Together Festival celebrates the Zayed Centre for Research

The Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children opened its doors to the local community in September.  Almost 700 members of the public visited this inspirational building during the 'Together Festival' to take part in three days of creative collaboration.

The Festival was held to mark the beginning of the Centre’s life as a global research hub which will find better treatments and cures for some of the most challenging children’s diseases.

The event aimed to bring the building to life and animate the spaces, ideas and aspirations behind its conception. It offered visitors a chance to view a series of specially commissioned artworks designed to engage and inspire staff and patients alike.

Visitors were treated to a choral performance of specially commissioned music, dance workshops from Wayne McGregor Studio, as well as Open House tours. Specialist tours by Vocal Eyes ensured visually impaired visitors were also able to make the most of their visit to the Centre.

Creative activities with GOSH resident artists entertained and engaged the many children and young people who visited with their families over the Festival weekend.

The Together Festival was launched with a panel discussion chaired by Moira Sinclair, Chief Executive of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, which explored the role of art and architecture in healthcare environments.

Presentations included Gavin Henderson, Principal Director Stanton Williams architects, and the commissioned artists Random International, Mark Titchner and Dana Al Mazrouei. Catch up with their discussion:

The Together Chorus was commissioned by GOSH Arts to celebrate the opening of the Zayed Centre for Research and the spirit of collaboration it embodies.

It is inspired by Mark Titchner’s artwork for the building, which features a quote from disability activist Helen Keller, and sung by a mass amateur choir with singers of all ages from the hospital and local community. This performance was filmed on 3 July 2019:

Learn more about theZayed Centre for Research.