Touchstone – A Creative Grief Project
Remember your loved ones with this unique art project
We’re excited to share Touchstone, a powerful and free creative project for Platforma Festival 2025, led by award-winning local photographic artist Gillian Allard.
This unique experience invites people from all backgrounds to explore grief, memory, and connection through creativity and storytelling.
Simply submit a photo of your loved one and take part in a small group workshop where you’ll create a meaningful tribute, as your photo is transferred onto a special memory pebble. Alongside this, you will be supported by artists and grief professionals in writing a message in your own words too.
Following the workshop, there will be a chance to visit either Felixstowe or Dunwich beach for a moment of reflection with your specially designed pebble, which will be released onto the beach as part of the art project.
After the pebble release, and a small exhibition, participants will have a copy of their memory pebble to take home thereafter, to keep forever.
A short film will document the project and be shared online and in an exhibition, celebrating the journey and voices involved.
Sessions run between late August and early October in Ipswich and Woodbridge. Refreshments will be available at the workshops too. When registering, please let us know of any dietary requirements.
Workshop & Beach Pebble Release Dates:
| Workshop Dates | Photo Submission Deadline | Workshop Locations | Pebble Release Dates | Pebble Release Locations Transport is provided to each beach location from Ipswich town centre |
| Tuesday 26 August, 10.30am-1.30pm | Monday 18 August | Garden Room, Ground Floor at Gainsborough Library, Clapgate Lane, Ipswich, IP3 0RL | Tuesday 2 September, 11am-4pm | Felixstowe Beach |
| Thursday 28 August, 10.30am-1.30pm | Monday 18 August | Garden Room, Ground Floor at Gainsborough Library, Clapgate Lane, Ipswich, IP3 0RL | Thursday 4 September, 11am-4pm | Felixstowe Beach |
| Tuesday 16 September, 10.30am-1.30pm | Monday 8 September | Chaucer Room, First Floor at Ipswich County Library, Northgate Street, Ipswich, IP1 3D1 | Tuesday 23 September, 11am-3pm | Dunwich Beach, Minsmere |
| Thursday 18 September, 10.30am-1.30pm | Monday 8 September | Chaucer Room, First Floor at Ipswich County Library, Northgate Street, Ipswich, IP1 3D1 | Thursday 25 September, 11am-3pm | Dunwich Beach, Minsmere |
| Monday 6 October, 10am-1pm | Monday 29 September | Meeting Room, Ground Floor at Woodbridge Library, New Street, IP12 1DT | Monday 13 October, 11am-4pm | Felixstowe Beach |
Accessibility
The workshops will take place at Gainsborough Library, Ipswich County Library and Woodbridge Library. Both Gainsborough and Woodbridge workshops are on the ground floor of the libraries with step-free accessibility. For Ipswich County Library, the workshop takes place on the first floor which is accessible via a lift or stairs.
Click on the links to each library above for more accessible information.
For beach access, Felixstowe is an accessible beach and a beach wheelchair is available. Please note, this needs to be booked in advance, so let us know if you require this when registering.
For Dunwich Beach, due to the terrain, there is no wheelchair access unfortunately. We recommend joining us at Felixstowe as an alternative.
Transport
Parking will be reimbursed at the workshops. If you have travelled by public transport, mileage will be reimbursed too. Please keep your receipts to claim this back at the workshops. Please note, we cannot reimburse taxi fares.
For the pebble release dates at the beach, transport will be provided from Ipswich town centre free of charge. Details will be shared with participants for this at the workshops.
Register to take part
This event is free. To sign up, register below:
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