Engage
Our art, culture, social value and legacy programme being delivered by IF Oxford Science & Ideas Festival in collaboration with Modern Art Oxford, Creation Theatre and Fusion Arts
Creating futures
Oxford North Engage is a programme to animate Oxford North, integrate it within its context and Oxford’s vibrant art and culture scene and create opportunities for the community.
The long-term programme includes community involvement and legacy-building which has already commenced with our Community Employment Plan and our new art and culture programme to build ahead of our opening later this year.
The Engage collaboration allows IF Oxford to commission content to create a range of immersive activities. The inaugural year includes a public event at Oxford North which was held in October as part of the IF Oxford Science & Ideas Festival.
The programme includes:
- a year-round project with Modern Art Oxford to provide monthly workshops with local community group Children Heard and Seen
- Creation Theatre to provide script, staging and actors for a piece of theatre at Oxford North
- Glow Your Own, a six week coding and fabrication project to integrate with Modern Art Oxford’s programme and Oxford Light Festival
Fusion Arts for workshops and temporary artwork integrated with Creation Theatre.
Additional activities will include drawing, art, story and writing workshops with Creation Theatre.
People of all ages enjoyed a host of immersive science-based activities, as part of a festival taking place across the city.
Zone ONE held in 2 Fallaize Street in October 2025 featured interactive family friendly activities and thought-provoking demonstrations including a robotic dog display delivered by the UK Atomic Energy Authority.
Guests were some of the first in the world to see a cosmos of ideas while overlooking ‘Your planetary assembly’, the landmark planetary sculptures in Fallaize Park, designed by Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson.
Creation Theatre captivated guests at the IF Oxford family event in October 2025 with its spellbinding delivery of the play Orbit via guided tours through the Solar System, using accessible pathways in the new landscaped public park.
The free to attend event sparked curiosity and conversation about science, technology and the future was hailed a great success.
Monthly workshops for children and families who are impacted by parental imprisonment are provided as they explore nearby Wytham Woods.
The children connect with nature and one another to create new natural sculptures alongside artists Lili Tranborg and Angela Edward.
So far, families have explored cyanotype printing, cord making, and willow weaving – ancient skills with deep historical roots.
