Ahh death, that big old uninvited party pooper guest at the party of life and elephant in the existential room. Actually, we love looking death right in the face here at Birmingham Wire and shouting ‘come on in and pull up a chair, you big morbid old goat’. After all, we’re all going to get invited to death’s great big after-party at some point, we might as well make some sort of acquaintance to avoid all the awkward silences now. Talking of awkward silences, with death being such an often unbroachable subject in our culture, thank heavens (or whatever your particular spiritual/non-spiritual bent) for this event, boldly stepping in to take the last taboo on and make somewhat of a celebration of all that a ‘good death’ can and should be and bring a discussion of all our inevitable endings to the fore. Festival highlights include an interactive eat-along experience exploring the history of funeral food, an ‘Art Macabre’ life and death drawing salon, a hands-on willow coffin weaving workshop and our favourite, a Death Disco. The mac Birmingham will also host a preview performance of The Death Show on Sunday 14 May. The conversation and debate around death and end of life care will also include panel talks and ‘death cafes’ as well as practical information and help with dying, death and bereavement. We can’t think of a more life-affirming event. See you on the dance-floor.

6-14 May at various venues, see www.brumyodo.org.uk for more details of individual events.