Upcoming events

Balloon Debate

18 February 2010
Wellcome Collection, London

You have £1 million to spend. Given the challenges we are going to face with an ageing population, what do you think is a priority? Who would you give £1m to and how would you decide? Speakers have been invited to champion a certain area, from more scientific research and better drugs for Alzheimer's disease to more innovation in care and pension provision.

There is only enough air in the balloon to support one, and the audience will choose who should be allowed to 'survive' to spend their £1m, while the others are 'ejected'. The speaker who can put forward the most convincing case will be the winner.

Featuring Andrea Gillies, author of 'Keeper', winner of the Wellcome Trust Book Prize 2009. Find out more

Must: The inside story

Selected dates between March and May 2010
Various UK locations

'Must' is a poetic look at what it feels like to have a body. It excavates the memories and images contained in the joints and layers of bone.

Inspired by images from 'Gulliver's Travels', Hildegard von Bingen, 'The Elephant Man' and everyday experiences of the medical profession, 'Must' takes a hard stare at the medical gaze and the assumptions people make about each others bodies. Find out more

Pressure Drop

19 April-12 May 2010
Wellcome Collection, London

Maverick theatre-makers On Theatre join forces with legendary singer-songwriter Billy Bragg to explore English identity and loyalty. 'Pressure Drop' takes us to the heart of one family's struggle to define home. Part play, part gig, part installation, it is a passionate account of what it is to be English today. Find out more

The Lion's Face

Selected dates from May 2010
Various UK locations

A new opera from the Opera Group, 'The Lion's Face' is a work exploring dementia, describing the experiences of the patient, the carer and the research scientist. Compassionate, heartfelt, strikingly dramatic and often witty, 'The Lion's Face' is a musical tale of love, loss and family. Find out more