Sanctuary - The Burn

Join us at sunset on the evening of Saturday 28 May for the spectacular finale of Sanctuary. This is a free, ticketed event.

Open to the public from 21 – 28 May, will be a unique memorial to commemorate the nation’s losses during the Covid pandemic. It will be a place for everyone to reflect, remember and let go.

Throughout the week, you are invited to visit Sanctuary with friends and family, to bring mementos of those you have loved to share and write messages on the structure.

On the evening of Saturday 28 May, Sanctuary will be ceremonially set alight and burned to the ground in a powerful moment of catharsis to help signal a rebirth.

Sanctuary, third in Artichoke’s memorial trilogy with David Best, is an intricate wooden structure created in collaboration with the local community of North Warwickshire. Famous for his temples at Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, David’s vision is for Sanctuary to be a healing space for everyone to come back together after an isolating and challenging two years for us all.

Opening times

Sanctuary will be set alight at sunset, approximately 21:00, on the evening of Saturday 28 May. The burn will last for 30 - 40 minutes.

Doors will open at 19:00. Please arrive in time to get a good viewing spot.

Parking for the burn

We strongly encourage visitors to Sanctuary to arrive on foot, by bicycle or public transport. There is no parking on-site or in the vicinity.

If coming by car is unavoidable, please note that parking is extremely limited, there is likely to be considerable congestion around Bedworth town centre at peak times throughout the event, and car users are likely to be subject to significant delays.

If you have accessible parking requirements, please contact [email protected]

Donations

Artichoke is a registered charity and our projects are free to the public. This is why your support matters so much.

If you like what we do, you can help us to keep producing projects like Sanctuary by making a donation. Any amount you give will make a difference to our year-round work with communities across the UK.

Paper tickets

If you're unable to book online, please call the Borough Council customer services on 024 7637 6376 to book up to six tickets. You can collect your tickets in person from Nuneaton Town Hall or the Bedworth Leisure Centre in Miners’ Welfare Park.

Additional Information

Sanctuary is open to visit during the week ahead of the burn. Tickets are not required.

Opening Times:

12:00 - 20:00, 21 - 27 May

10:00 - 14:00, 28 May

Accessible tours

We're running of Sanctuary in the week before the burn between the 26 – 27 May.

Visit to find out more.

Produced by Artichoke, in association with and supported by , and.

FAQs

Why do I need a ticket for the burn?

The burn is a free to attend. It is ticketed to help manage audience numbers. Thousands of people are likely to attend the Sanctuary burn on Saturday 28 May. We want everyone to feel comfortable, enjoy their evening and have an experience that will last in the memory forever.

Tickets are not required to attend on any other day before the burn.

How sustainable is the event?

We encourage audiences to use public transport or walk or cycle to the site. There will be no parking at the site or in the streets nearby on the night of the burn. We ask you to respect the site and not to litter.

We will also ask everyone to be responsible in what items they bring to leave inside Sanctuary and avoid items made of plastic or similar that could emit a harmful gas when burned.

We aim to leave no trace and return the site to its original condition. Everyone will be made aware of the project’s environmental impact and the measures we are taking to offset this.

Images: Temple, David Best, Derry-Londonderry, 2015. Produced by Artichoke. Photos by Matthew Andrews.

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