Teacher Event: Mapping Literary London & More

About the Literary Map
The European Literary Map of London is an interactive map featuring contributions by European artists, authors, musicians, poets, philosophers and scientists. We invite teachers to find out more in person and let us know how we could work with the map to enhance teaching and learning at Key Stages 4 and 5. We want to develop resources/workshops that will be genuinely useful in schools, and so we would like to hear from teachers now.

Join us on 11 July 2023 to offer your input to this project. There will also be the opportunity for you to learn more about the free software to create maps on any subject. Refreshments will be provided.

More information 
For centuries, European writers, artists and intellectuals have come to London from across the continent – near-neighbours from France and the Low Countries, travellers from distant Poland or Spain, visitors from the Scandinavian North and the Bulgarian East.  They come as honoured guests, anonymous interlopers, tourists, refugees, students, migrant workers, au pairs, and vagabonds. 

At times, they come in search of something – a vision of the future, a self they could not be at home.  At times, they come as an escape. And what they find inspires horror and delight, boredom and exhilaration, disappointment, and wonder.

The European Literary Map of London currently has approximately 70 entries in 24 different languages. Entries describe the many sites, feelings and experiences of London through the centuries. Multiple filter and search functions allow users to lose and find their way through European literary London.

The Map is curated by an interdisciplinary team convened by the UCL European Institute, UCL’s hub for research, engagement and collaboration on Europe. Contributions come from UCL academics, students, London’s European National Institutes for Culture, and the wider public.

The web application was created and is being further developed by UCL’s Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis. We expect to enhance its functionalities as a teaching and learning tool.

Exhibition
The map and its entries will be brought to life through an immersive exhibition featuring clusters of entries, images, quotes, maps, screens, and sound installation. Visitors will also be encouraged to explore the map and contribute suggestions for future entries via QR codes.

The exhibition will take place at UCL, Bloomsbury (October 2023 – January 2024) and Europe House in Westminster (March – May 2024).

The map and the exhibition will be structured by six cross-cutting themes:

• noise & nature
• riches & poverty
• freedom & constraint
• pleasure & disgust
• familiar & other
• fantasy & banality