“If it were to be repeated in the future, I would certainly go, as it was undoubtedly an event that I enjoyed a lot. I would highlight the humour and interest with which the speakers managed to captivate the public and at the same time let us know that science is something that we can all enjoy”, says Isabel, an aspiring scientist and participant at the CERN Festival in Rototom.

Like Isabel, there are many other participants that remember the CERN festival programmes with fondness. The CERN Festival Programme is a testament of ‘going where the people are’. CERN along with the CERN & Society Foundation has always believed in inculcating the feeling of curiosity; and through the CERN Festival Programme does so by interacting with people where they are through the help of social and cultural influencers in the field of science. This unique programme has enabled young people to explore the realm of science through a creative lens in an accessible format.

Last month, CERN Festival debuted with their first ever collaboration with the Rototom Sunplash festival with a stand name, Discovery Lab from 16 to 21 August 2024. The Discovery Lab was strategically placed in the heart of the venue aiming to offer a journey to all festivalgoers: the journey of human knowledge, from the Big Bang in the distant past to the future presented to us by artificial intelligence.

Isabel, a young girl from Spain who participated in the CERN Festival with her family at the international reggae festival proved to be a testament to all that the programme hopes to achieve.

With a curious mind and a can-do attitude, this 13-year-old girl showed her enthusiasm attending in front row all the various talks and asking thoughtful questions. At the end of the programme, Isabel donated to the cause from her savings expressing the interest she had gained in science through the programme. With whatever little she had, she ended up making an even bigger difference through her kind gesture.

“A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend Rototom, where this year an area was reserved for scientific dissemination with the Discovery Lab. I would highlight the humour and interest with which the speakers managed to captivate the public and at the same time let us know that science is something that we can all enjoy. If it were to be repeated in the future, I would certainly go, as it was undoubtedly an event that I enjoyed a lot. I learned a lot and met incredible people. Finally, I am extremely grateful for the effort and dedication of all those people who made it possible.”

When one says science, we hardly ever think of music however the CERN Festival manages to bring together the two disciplines in a synchronous way. With a Science Pavilion present at different music festivals around the world, the project supported by CERN Society & Foundation is designed to reach the public and provide them with scientific tools and knowledge to build further capacities. This includes audiences that are not necessarily interested or attracted by the scientific domain, and with the goal to encourage people’s interest in STEM and attract future scientific talents like Isabel.

Art in general, and music in particular, allows us to share the wonders of science and we are looking forward to living our passion for research with the Spanish public. In the framework of the celebration of CERN’s 70th anniversary, this partnership highlights the importance of cross-border cooperation and public engagement, two fundamental values ​​that we share with Rototom Sunsplash,” argues Charlotte Warakaulle, Director of International Relations at CERN.

One of the unique selling propositions of the festival is that it is not only for young scientists but also organises science activities for all ages and levels of knowledge in the form of talks, shows and workshops.

“I have no words to describe the emotion and the excitement. I discovered after an advertisement by Rototom Sunsplash that the Discovery Lab existed within the festival, a space promoted by CERN in which different talks and shows related to science would take place. And, about the presence of other great physicists and mathematicians like Eduardo Sanz de Cabezon whom my son follows and admires. He has also been watching his videos and reading his books. This was what led us to attend our first festival, which surprised and enchanted us.”, Says Patricia Lih, a participant at the Discovery Lab in a heartfelt Instagram post addressed to Eduardo. 

The Discovery Lab owes its success to the commitment of CERN, the coordinator of the Festival Programme: Connie Potter, the collaboration of the Institute of Corpuscular Physics (IFIC) of CSIC in Spain and Alberto Aparici from University of Valencia who was in charge of dissemination and outreach; and the Institute of Microelectronics of Barcelona (IMB-CNM) of the CSIC through its spokesperson and researcher Iván López; and the University of La Rioja from where the professor, mathematician and presenter of programs such as Laika Orbit of TVE, Eduardo Sáenz de Cabezón belongs.

The CERN Festival has already been curating this experience around Europe for over 6 years as a collaboration between the research centre, a festival and collaborating institutes in the host country that seeks to reach new non-scientific audiences in music and cultural events. This group of collaborators, also made up of other partners who already produce scientific pavilions at music festivals in other European countries, is known as The Big Bang Collective. The festival was inaugurated with a first Science Pavilion at a festival in the UK, that attracted 4500 people in 3 days of festival. This year, the programme reached 4 festivals in 4 different countries with more than 16,000 participants at the Science Pavilion! 

The overwhelming response we've received revealed that the festival is attracting people who typically never attend science events or visit museums and have had little interest in science before. The festival has not only proved to be a value addition to music festivals like Sunsplash but has also fostered awareness of science and impact of science on society.

The CERN & Society Foundation believes in fostering creative synergies between science and culture, stimulating inspiration and enriching the cultural landscape. Know more about the festival here.