BBC Arena in London Launch

You are warmly invited to the launch of the BBC Arena London Memory Map on Thursday 23rd April, from 1.00pm to 4.00pm, with a free lunch served at 1.00pm.

From its beginnings in 1975, BBC Arena's filmic essays pioneered a new form of cultural storytelling to become the most influential and innovative arts programme ever made for television.

This project has been timed to commemorate BBC Arena’s 50th anniversary, and brings together archival material, location‑based stories and newly recorded interviews to offer unique insights into the programme’s contribution to the city’s cultural landscape.

This event will introduce you to a new UCL digital humanities project created in collaboration with the BBC Arena team from its extensive programme archive.

During the session, you will have the opportunity to hear from:

• Anthony Wall, distinguished filmmaker and the longest‑serving editor of BBC Arena, reflecting on his many years shaping the series;
• Michael Hrebeniak, discussing the research informing Bottled Neon, his forthcoming BFI book on the cultural history of Arena and the making of the BBC Arena London Memory Map;
• The team behind Memory Mapper, an open-source digital tool for mapping cultural heritage and stories of places, which has been responsible for City of Women London (2022) and Lost & Found: A European Literary Map of London (2024).

Following a panel discussion and a short break to explore the BBC Arena London Memory Map, you will take part in a hands‑on session learning how to use the Memory Mapper toolkit for your own projects.

Attendance is free, but places are limited and signing‑up is essential.

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Host or Publisher Duncan Hay / UCL