Moon Palace project empowers students to bring science and culture to local communities
The University of Leeds, in collaboration with the East Leeds Project and three university partners, has launched the Moon Palace project, funded by a £22,000 grant from the Ogden Trust.
The initiative focuses on the Moon Palace, a mobile observatory and artwork created by Heather Peak and Ivan Morison. Designed to merge art and science, the project will engage underserved communities by bringing astronomy and culture directly to their neighbourhoods.
Student ambassadors from Leeds, and partnering physics departments at Durham University, the University of Hertfordshire, and Queen Mary University of London, will play a key role, developing interdisciplinary skills and fostering connections between their institutions and local communities. The program also aims to evaluate how the arts-science collaboration impacts these students' creativity, confidence, and engagement.
Commissioned by Foxglove and LEEDS 2023 for Smeaton300, and co-produced by East Leeds Project and LEEDS 2023, Moon Palace represents a unique effort to make science and art accessible to all, while encouraging a new generation of leaders.
Inside Moon Palace (Photo credit: Charles Emerson)
Erin McNeill, Project Lead and Physics Outreach Officer for the School of Physics and Astronomy said: "We are thrilled to have the support of the Ogden Trust for Moon Palace. Working together across our partner Physics departments and East Leeds Project, we will be able to share the wonder of Moon Palace in new places and with new people. I’m excited to see what we will create together through conversations, exploration and fun!”
Adam Boal, the Opportunities for All Programme Manager for the Ogden Trust, added: “Moon Palace is a great example of collaborative working that brings together institutions and disciplines, and we are delighted to be supporting the project with the 2024 collaborative funding award. We are excited to see the project progress, reaching more people in underserved communities and growing the network of student outreach ambassadors.
“We hope that the project development and evaluation will provide new ideas, resources and a fantastic framework for other inspiring arts/physics outreach collaborations in the future.”
