Schumacher College, Dar7ngton, 2007

The The Companion – Festival of Bread was an event curated and prodused by me and held at Schumacher College in Dartington, UK, in 2007. Here I explored the baking and sharing of bread as social sculpture, which included talks, participative workshops inside and out, a bread poetry and bookmaking event and a baking event for children. Participants were active contributors to the artwork itself by learning practical skills, exchanging stories, and taking part in talks and workshops led by passionate advocates of bread and cultural diversity.

It all culminated in a fabulous celebratory lunch on the lawn with sharing of the bread accompanied by locally produced cheese, apple juice and honey.

Among the contributors were renowned figures such as Andrew Whitley and Satish Kumar, alongside authors, artists, chefs, writers, and poets including Julia Ponsonby, Joy Mead, Eilis Kirby, Esther Boukema & Mark van Will, and Minni Jain.

Photos: Philip McIntyre

Festival Program: Program Festival of Bread

Festival Compendium: Festival Compendium

Listen to talks from the Companion Festival of Bread: (Linkes embedded in the names)

Andrew Whitley: His journey of bread making inspired by his time as a BBC correspondent in Russia and commercial vs homebaked bread.

Satish Kumar: Bread as spiritual practice and environmental activism.

Joy Mead: Bread and poetry.

Esther Boukema and Mark van Will: Presentation of Smaak te pakken – a cookery workshops for children in Holland, and the importance of children making and eating “real” food.

Minni Jain: She held a workshop on making chapatis that was recorded and edited into a great chapati (w)rap by Lucinda Guy from Soundart Radio.