Canal Tales | Making 1-4: Making Masks, Costumes & Procession Props

1 About the Activity

Join us at The Last Word community hub for Canal Tales' weekly making sessions and help bring a canalside summer procession to life.

Participants will choose their favourite characters from the co-created Canal Tales, or invent their own canal characters, and create masks, costumes, puppets, and procession props for the summer procession. Guided by emerging creative practitioners, we will explore sustainable making techniques and experiment with reclaimed and low-impact materials.

As part of the Canal Tales programme, these making sessions transform shared stories and ideas into creative forms that can be carried, worn, performed, and celebrated during the summer procession.

Things to Know

• Venue: The Last Word community hub (Piazza, The British Library)
• Materials & Tools: A wide range of reclaimed arts and craft materials will be provided, along with basic tools. You are also welcome to bring your own tools and materials.
• Refreshments: Tea, coffee, and biscuits will be provided. 
• Photography & Filming: Photos and videos will be taken during the session for evaluation, documentation, and promotional purposes. Please let us know if you prefer not to be included.
• Participant Commitment: To help bring the procession to life, we encourage participants to create at least one procession piece (usually requiring one or two making sessions) and take part in the summer procession.

2 About the Canal Tales Project 

Canal Tales: Walking, Imagining, Making, Performing is a series of participatory community activities taking place across the British Library and along Regent’s Canal in King’s Cross and Camden.​

Connecting the British Library’s canal collections and resources with the living canal environment, the project invites diverse local communities to explore stories, memories, creativity, ecology, and everyday life connected to the waterways through sustainable creative activities.

The project is produced by Canal Dream CIC and led by Chuntian Hu. It is funded through the British Library’s Green Libraries Hubs Grant Scheme, supported by The National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund.

3 The Programme 

Canal Tales unfolds through four connected stages, with multiple activities in each stage:

• Walking: Explore waterway collections at the British Library and the living environment of Regent's Canal.
• Imagining: Co-create new canal stories inspired by waterways, collections, and shared experiences.
• Making: Transform stories into creative artworks, objects, and performances using sustainable materials.
• Performing: Bring canal tales to life through a summer procession along Regent's Canal.

View the full programme and book activities here.

Participant Commitment: To help bring the procession to life, we encourage participants to create at least one procession piece (usually requiring one or two making sessions) and take part in the final procession.

4 Who We Welcome

​Canal Tales welcomes boaters, canal-side communities, emerging creatives, children and young people, local organisations and community groups, and anyone interested in waterways, creativity, sustainability, and cultural collections. 

We particularly encourage participation from residents of Camden and neighbouring boroughs.

5. Space and Accessibility

Canal Tales activities take place across multiple locations, including the British Library, The Last Word community hub, and along Regent's Canal.

• British Library: Please visit the British Library Visit Us page for full accessibility information.
• The Last Word community hub: The space is accessible via ramp and has a hearing loop installed. While wheelchair access is possible, the space can be narrow in places.
• Regent's Canal Activities: Accessibility may vary depending on the location and route of individual activities. Further information will be provided for each session where relevant.

If you have specific access requirements, please contact [email protected] in advance so we can support you accordingly.